Blogger Maverick Aoko Otieno has been released from police custody on a Ksh 100,000 cash bail after pleading not guilty to three counts of publishing false information.
She will return to court on September 2 for a pre-trial hearing.
Aoko, who was arrested at her home on Friday, August 16, appeared before Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi.
During the court session, it was revealed that Aoko’s laptop and phone, which were seized during her arrest, will remain in police custody as detectives continue their investigation.
The charges stem from a tweet posted by Aoko on August 3, 2024, which is alleged to have been malicious and intended to harm the reputation of the complainant.
The tweet read: “Maze it disorients me to say this.. But Amber Ray is innocent. She did not ruin marriage ya Jamal Amira.. Beth did.. She’s the daughter of a powerful cop so if you find me thrown Kware, refer to this tweet… Ask how Jamal moved from Makanga wa South C to Matatu boss… Ndio naanza.”
According to the charge sheet, the remarks violate Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act of 2018.
This section outlines that a person found guilty of publishing false information that causes panic, chaos, or violence, or discredits an individual’s reputation, faces a fine of up to Ksh. 5 million, a 10-year prison sentence, or both.
Three witnesses are set to testify in the case, including Sergeant Norah Shigi, a Digital Forensics expert at Kenya’s Communications Authority, and Chief Inspector Nickson Kinyua.
