Oga Obinna’s defamation win of KSh 6M in 2025 crowns a hard-fought year of legal grit for the Kenyan comedian and radio star, as a Milimani court slams the gavel on his accusers with a hefty payout and a gag order that echoes through Nairobi’s media corridors.
On November 4, Magistrate Lynette Kaberia ruled in favour of Obinna, awarding him a total of KSh 6 million from Radio Jambo, veteran host Massawe Japani, and influencer Black Cinderella, real name Maureen Imbayi.
The breakdown hit sharp: KSh 5 million in aggravated damages for the emotional scars, KSh 500,000 general for reputational hits, KSh 400,000 exemplary to set a precedent, and KSh 100,000 for suit costs.
Plus, a permanent injunction barring any more loose-lipped broadcasts or posts that could tarnish his name further.
“Justice served with interest,” Obinna quipped in his victory lap on Instagram, where the post exploded to 150,000 likes by evening.
The saga simmered since late 2024, when Black Cinderella dropped bombshell claims on her platforms, alleging Obinna owed her cash from a murky “business deal” and painting him as a deadbeat collaborator.
“She said it knowing we’d never even crossed paths,” Obinna vented post-ruling, his voice a mix of relief and fire in a TikTok breakdown that racked up 300,000 views.
Radio Jambo amplified the mess, with Japani’s morning show airing the unverified tea without a single ring to Obinna for his side, despite her history as his ex-colleague at Classic 105.
“They turned whispers into wildfire, burning my brand and peace,” he added, recounting sleepless nights dodging sponsor calls and fan shade.
Court docs revealed the station’s logs: No fact-checks, no balance, just raw airtime for the drama, which the judge deemed “reckless journalism” in a scathing 45-page verdict.
Obinna’s camp hailed the win as a blueprint for creators under siege. “This isn’t just my fight; it’s for every voice trolled into silence,” he told Capital FM hours after the gavel, crediting his bulldog lawyer Willis Otieno for the knockout.
“Major, so my lawyer Wakili Willis Otieno, aka PikipikiPonki, good job. Nimepata pesa ya kumwaga foundation ya nyumba. Hii nyumba tutaijenga na pesa ya haterz,” Obinna posted, flexing a mock blueprint sketch that had followers flooding with house-warming memes.
Otieno, in a quick aside to the press, called it “a landmark for digital accountability”, noting the suit’s evidence trail of archived clips and witness affidavits from Obinna’s team.
The defendants? Japani, a radio fixture since the early 2000s, dodged mics all day, her X feed stuck on promo plugs. Black Cinderella, whose 200,000-follower empire thrives on unfiltered rants, went dark, bio tweaked to “Healing in silence.”
Radio Jambo issued a boilerplate “respect the process” statement, but insiders whisper settlement talks bubbled pre-ruling but were quashed when Obinna held firm.
This clash spotlights Kenya’s wild west of online beefs, where influencers sling mud faster than matatus dodge potholes. A 2025 Media Council report flagged a 40 per cent rise in defamation suits, blaming algorithm-fuelled outrage and lax broadcast rules.
“Platforms profit from pain; courts must clip the wings,” urged the council chair in a reaction piece for The Standard. “Moral of the story, endelea kutukana na kudefame watu online bila evidence, one by one mtalipa mapua,” Obinna warned in his wrap-up reel, a finger-wag that sparked 10,000 quote tweets.
Supporters chipped in virtual bricks for his “hater-funded” house, while critics grumbled about “rich vs. regular” mismatches.
For Obinna, riding high on his “Obinna Live” YouTube wave, this verdict vaults him from punchline to powerhouse.
As Nairobi’s night hums with after-work chats, Obinna’s triumph ripples beyond the spotlight. In a scene where trolls lurk like hyenas, his KSh 6 million haul isn’t cash; it’s a shield. Will it chill the chaos, or just amp the whispers?
