Mak’Onyango awarded Ksh 20m in damages

Former Alego Usonga MP Otieno Mak’Onyango has been compensated 20 million for wrongly detention during the retired president Daniel Moi’s regime. Mak’ Onyango who was also a journalist with the Standard Newspaper was arrested and detained for treason during the 1982 abortive coup.

During the Friday ruling, High court judge Kalpana Rawal noted that Mr. Mak’Onyango had lost five years without his family and his rights had been violated, something which could not be wished away. Thus the Ksh20 million was a fairer and reasonable amount to compensate him.

Mr. Mak’Onyango had sued the state and former President in his suit, which he took to represent himself. In his building of a strong case he managed to call witnesses notably, Prime Minister Raila Odinga who was among those he was detained with.

He had alleged that he was held incommunicado and tortured during his unlawful detention. However, the High Court exonerated the former president, ruling that there was no evidence of personal misconduct in his detention and that it was the office of the Attorney General that was liable.