Nelson Amenya Faces Criminal Charges in France from Ruto Ally Jayesh Saini

Ruto Ally Turns to Criminal Charges After Legal Defeat

Jayesh Saini, a wealthy businessman believed to be among the biggest beneficiaries of Kenya’s new Social Health Authority (SHA), has taken an aggressive turn after his failed defamation suit against Nelson Amenya.

The original case, filed in France, accused Amenya of damaging Saini’s reputation through a series of online posts about the shady handling of health contracts during the transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to SHA.

Saini demanded €60,000 (Ksh8 million) in damages. But French Judge Francois Hary threw out the claim. In a stinging rebuke, the court ruled that Amenya’s posts on X (formerly Twitter) were protected under EU freedom of speech laws, given their focus on public interest issues like corruption and healthcare.

In addition to losing the case, Saini was slapped with a €5,000 (Ksh667,000) bill to cover Amenya’s legal expenses. Now, in what critics are calling legal harassment, Saini has escalated the matter by filing a criminal case against Amenya—still in France. But this time, the stakes are much higher.

Nelson Amenya Refuses to Bow to Intimidation

Speaking from his base in France, Amenya dismissed the latest case as a desperate move.

“There is no pressure on my part,” he said. “He filed a criminal case against me in France, but I’m going to ensure he suffers the most humiliating defeat of his life.”

Amenya confirmed that the case will be heard in open court—ensuring the public can follow every detail of the proceedings.

The activist has become a thorn in the side of corrupt networks after releasing dossiers implicating top officials and business people in questionable healthcare insurance deals. Many of these reports highlighted how insiders like Saini allegedly profited from the rollout of SHA contracts under the Ruto administration.

In a separate but related case in Kenya, Amenya is being represented by prominent lawyer Willis Otieno. That case, too, is expected to proceed in open court.

“They cannot steal from us and then use the justice system to continue oppressing us,” Amenya said, adding that his battles in the courtroom will inspire other whistleblowers to speak up.

French and Kenyan Courts Back Amenya’s Fight for Transparency

This is not the first time Amenya has faced legal retaliation for his activism. In October last year, Saini and his associates tried the same playbook in Kenya.

They filed defamation suits in the High Court, hoping to silence Amenya’s claims over irregular health tenders and the shady privatization of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) involving Indian giant Adani.

Again, the case was dismissed. The Kenyan judge, like their French counterpart, emphasized that the issues Amenya raised were already part of the national debate and thus could not be treated as defamation.

This back-to-back legal victory shows a clear pattern: courts in both Kenya and Europe are recognizing the role whistleblowers like Amenya play in exposing systemic corruption. Despite this, Saini’s move to file a criminal case signals a shift—one that could have broader implications for press freedom and civic space in both Kenya and abroad.

If the French court entertains the criminal complaint, it could set a chilling precedent for whistleblowers operating in exile.

For now, however, Amenya remains unfazed. He continues to post updates and evidence on his social media platforms, vowing to bring more documents to light. His defiance and legal wins have earned him growing support among Kenyans, especially the youth and civil society groups tired of impunity and elite capture.