Stabex chair sues Gachagua for defamation over fuel scandal links
Stabex chair sues Gachagua for defamation over fuel scandal links
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has been sued for defamation over remarks allegedly linking Stabex international Limited chair Jackson Kiplimo and private companies to irregular petroleum dealings.
In a case filed before the High Court, the chairman of Stabex International Limited, Jackson Kiplimo, alongside two associated companies, are seeking damages, claiming that statements made by Gachagua were false, malicious, and damaging to their reputation.
According to court documents, the plaintiffs accuse Gachagua of making a series of public remarks alleging that Stabex and Gulf Energy were being used as proxies in a government-to-government (G2G) petroleum procurement arrangement linked to President William Ruto.
The suit cites statements allegedly made by Gachagua on April 5, 2026, at AIPCA Gakoe Church in Kiambu, where he is said to have claimed that the President was conducting petroleum business through the two companies and had made profits exceeding Sh1.5 trillion since taking office.
Gachagua is further accused of alleging that senior officials, including those at the Kenya Pipeline Company and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), had orchestrated parallel fuel importation deals without the President’s knowledge, generating hundreds of millions of shillings.
The plaintiffs contend that the remarks portrayed them as participants in unlawful dealings, thereby injuring their reputation, credibility, and business standing.
They maintain that the claims are entirely false and unsubstantiated, asserting that Stabex has no role or involvement in the G2G petroleum procurement framework.
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The suit further states that the company operates as a legitimate oil marketing firm with a wide presence across East Africa, including over 200 retail stations and multiple bulk depots supplying regional markets.
Additionally, Jack denies any proxy relationship with President Ruto or any other individual.
The court documents indicate that the plaintiffs, through their lawyers, issued a demand letter to Gachagua on April 9, 2026, seeking an immediate public retraction and unconditional apology.
However, they claim he has failed to comply, aggravating the alleged harm.
The plaintiffs are now seeking general and exemplary damages, as well as a permanent injunction to restrain Gachagua from publishing or repeating the alleged defamatory statements.
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