Nairobi — The Nation Media Group has defended its decision to publish an article about a police crackdown on prostitutes in 2003.

The Group Managing Editor, Mr Joseph Odindo, said the paper published the story in the public interest, as there was a sharp increase in the number of people infected with the HIV.

"The story was published in public interest. It was about 21 years after the arrival of the virus and we at the Nation had made a decision to enlighten the public on the scourge to effectively combat it," he said.

Odindo told High Court Judge, Justice Jacton Boma Ojwang', that when their sources informed them that police had arrested three politicians, several businessmen and college women from Koinange Street, they were troubled.

"It troubled us that parents were sitting at home thinking their daughters were studying unaware that some of them were prowling streets for prostitution.

The little girls were moonlighting as prostitutes," he said.

He was giving evidence in a case where Energy Assistant minister, Mr Mwangi Kiunjuri, has sued Daily Nation for libel, alleging that the article defamed him.

Kiunjuri claims the article was malicious "and not intended for any good purpose."

When he took to the witness box in October 2005 to defend himself, Kiunjuri said he did not know any of alleged prostitutes.