Musician Nonini has won a defamation case against former Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) chief executive Ezekiel Mutua, with a Nairobi court ordering the former official to pay KSh 3 million over remarks made about the rapper.
The judgment was delivered on October 26, 2026, by Milimani Commercial Magistrate James Gitau. Nonini, whose real name is Hubert Nakitare, was awarded KSh 2.5 million in general damages and KSh 500,000 in exemplary and aggravated damages.
The court also directed Mutua to remove the disputed statements from his social media account within 14 days and pay the costs of the case.
The case arose from a public disagreement in early 2024 over the management of music royalties and the handling of money collected on behalf of Kenyan artists.
At the time, Nonini questioned how MCSK managed and distributed royalties. Mutua responded by accusing the musician of involvement in financial wrongdoing and describing him as a fugitive who had allegedly been reported to the police.
Nonini rejected the accusations and challenged Mutua to withdraw the statements. Through his legal representatives, the rapper argued that the claims were damaging to his reputation and demanded their removal.
The disagreement attracted attention because it involved two prominent figures in Kenya’s entertainment industry at a time when artists were raising concerns about payments from music copyright organisations.
MCSK collects royalties from the use of musical works and distributes the money to eligible rights holders. The amount artists receive and how collections are accounted for have been recurring subjects of debate within the industry.
In his ruling, Magistrate Gitau found that the remarks could harm Nonini’s public standing by presenting him as someone who had left Kenya to avoid facing the law. The court awarded damages after finding in the musician’s favour.