A popular online media platform, Obinna TV, faces a serious legal challenge after a court directed that it be formally served with lawsuit papers.
The suit, filed by former Sports Cabinet Secretary Hon. Rashid Echesa, alleges the platform and its guest, political figure Seth Panyako, engaged in a vicious campaign of digital defamation and orchestrating a “malicious” and “reckless” character assassination that has gravely injured his reputation.
The lawsuit, filed under a certificate of urgency, stems from a live broadcast on 4 December 2025 titled “OBINNA SHOW LIVE: THEY TRIED TO KILL ME – SETH PANYAKO.” The programme was aired in the volatile aftermath of the hotly contested Malava Constituency by-election. In court documents seen by this publication, Echesa alleges that during the interview, Panyako made a series of explicit, unsubstantiated criminal allegations against him.
These included claims that Echesa personally led a group of armed assailants and police officers in a violent attack that resulted in multiple deaths, that he set fire to a vehicle, and that he has been responsible for killings in the Matungu area.
“…Rashid is the one who has been killing people in Matungu….”
Panyako is further quoted as describing Echesa as a “stupid, primitive criminal” who should be behind bars.
“… It is Rashid himself mwenywe alichoma hio gari, Rashid ndio alichoma hio gari Rashid Echesa……nani alichoma gari ni Rashid Echesa mwenyewe. Ni rashid Echesa alichoma hio gari na ameonekana na wanaichi akichoma yeye mwenyewe Rashid Echesa……kwani who is Rashid, just a stupid irritate, primitive criminal……Rashid is the one who has been killing people in Matungu….Rashid is a small time criminal who should be behind Bars today.”
The broadcast was subsequently published and disseminated across the Obinna TV YouTube and TikTok channels, which boast a combined following of nearly two million subscribers. The plaintiff contends that the second and third defendants, Obinna TV Extra and Obinna TV trading as Obinna TV Studios, and Obinna TV Ltd exercised full editorial control over the content, monetised it, and failed to verify the “grave criminal accusations” or offer a right of reply before spreading them globally.
“The statements were calculated to portray the Plaintiff as a murderer, arsonist, violent criminal, and a danger to public order and safety,” state the plaint documents filed by Kimani & Company Advocates.
In a sworn affidavit, Echesa vehemently denied all accusations. “I categorically state that all the allegations made against me by the 1st Defendant are entirely false, malicious, reckless, and without any factual or legal basis whatsoever,”
He detailed the personal and professional harm suffered, citing “intense public ridicule, hostility, suspicion, and distress” from colleagues, family, and the public, which has eroded confidence in his leadership of a national safety body. His lawyers had previously issued a demand letter on 5 December, giving the defendants seven days to retract the statements, issue a public apology, admit liability, and discuss compensation. The defendants’ alleged failure to comply is cited in court papers as evidence of “express malice.”
The plaintiff’s application seeks immediate temporary orders to restrain the defendants from further publishing the allegations and a mandatory injunction compelling Obinna TV to “immediately pull down, delete, disable access to, and permanently remove” the video from all its platforms. The suit’s broader claims include a permanent injunction, a court-ordered retraction and apology in a major newspaper, and substantial general and aggravated damages.
Honourable Felix Makoyo, Senior Principal Magistrate at the Milimani Commercial Court, issued initial directions on 24 December 2025, ordering that the application be served on the respondents and listed the matter for an inter-parte hearing on 22 January 2026. This hearing will be the first opportunity for Seth Panyako and the Obinna TV entities to present their formal response to the allegations before the court considers the requested injunctions.
For now, the video remains publicly accessible, continuing what Echesa’s legal team describes in their demand letter as an ongoing assault that “seriously harmed our Client’s reputation, portraying him as a dangerous criminal and undermining the respect and confidence previously accorded to him.”
