Magistrate J. Gitau awards the rapper damages and orders Mutua to remove the disputed remarks and pay legal costs.
A court has ordered Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) chief executive Ezekiel Mutua to pay rapper Nonini Sh3 million in damages. The Nonini defamation case concerned remarks Mutua made about the musician amid a dispute over royalties.
In a judgment dated October 26, 2026, Magistrate J. Gitau awarded the rapper Sh2.5 million in general damages. The magistrate also awarded Sh500,000 in exemplary and aggravated damages.
Beyond the financial award, the court ordered Mutua to remove the disputed remarks within the stipulated period. He must also pay the legal costs arising from the case.
Nonini defamation case followed royalty dispute
The fallout began after Nonini left MCSK in May 2022, citing concerns about royalty payments. His concerns also covered how the organisation collected and distributed artists’ earnings.
The dispute resurfaced in January 2024, when MCSK announced plans to distribute Sh20,000 in royalties to its members. That announcement sparked public debate about the management of musicians’ earnings.
Court proceedings show that Nonini later shared information on social media about MCSK’s royalty collections and expenditure. He accused Mutua of responding with defamatory remarks on social media and during a local radio interview.
Rapper challenged remarks about his reputation
Nonini told the court that the statements were false and malicious. He argued that they had damaged his reputation and standing in the music industry.
The rapper, known for songs including Manzi wa Nairobi and Keroro, is a prominent figure in Kenyan hip-hop. He has also previously raised concerns about fair compensation for musicians.
