Fred Machoka offers to undergo HIV test as defamation trial intensifies

The defamation case involving veteran broadcaster Fred Obachi Machoka and Nairobi MCA Robert Alai intensified in court after Machoka said he is ready to undergo an HIV test immediately if ordered, firmly rejecting claims made against him online.

The case, filed through his lawyer Danstan Omari, stems from allegations that Alai published a Facebook post linking Machoka to HIV status, ARVs, mental instability, and tribal bias.

“@Fred Obachi Machoka OGW I feel your ethnic rage… Your problem is supply of ARVs not Presidency… Does HIV bring insanity nowadays?” read the alleged post.

Machoka is seeking damages, saying the post damaged his reputation built over decades in broadcasting.

The suit arises from a post allegedly published on Alai’s verified Facebook account that tagged Machoka directly and made remarks about his health and conduct.

Machoka argues the statements were false, malicious, and widely circulated, amplifying reputational harm due to his large public following.

Alai, on the other hand, has disputed ownership of the Facebook account and challenged the authorship of the statements attributed to him, setting up a contested trial over both authorship and intent.

During cross-examination, Machoka strongly denied being HIV positive or ever using antiretroviral medication. He also rejected any suggestion of mental illness.

Pressed further in court, he stated he would take an HIV test immediately if the court required it, a remark that became a focal point in the proceedings.

Machoka told the court the allegations struck at the core of his personal and professional life.

With a broadcasting career spanning nearly five decades, he said his public image is central to his work in media, events, and business.

He maintained that the claims were not only false but also harmful, especially given their circulation online and association with his name.

Alai maintained his position that he does not own the social media account in question. However, his cross-examination raised questions about inconsistencies in his social media history and earlier court records linked to his name.

The court also heard references to past cases involving Alai, as part of efforts to establish identity and patterns of online publication.