Nairobi, Sept. 8 -- A magistrate's court has awarded a lawyer Sh1.5 million in damages after finding that a WhatsApp message sent by his client's opponent was defamatory and malicious.

The court said the message, sent to lawyer Thomas Moindi's office phone after he served his client's opponent with pleadings in a land dispute, injured his professional reputation.

The dispute began in April 2024 when Ann Bwari, a property owner in Kaputei, Kajiado County, instructed Mr Moindi to represent her in a land dispute with her neighbour, Larry Sankeet.

Mr Moindi, trading as Moindi & Co. Advocates, filed proceedings against Mr Sankeet in the Environment and Land Court at Kajiado.

On June 6, 2024, Mr Moindi sent the pleadings to Mr Sankeet throu...