A university student was charged with publishing false information on Monday at the Milimani Law Courts after sharing an image of a funeral procession with misleading captions.
According to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the suspect, David Oaga Mokaya, allegedly posted the image on his X (formerly Twitter) account, “Landlord @bozgabi,” on November 13, 2024, claiming it was of President William Ruto being transported.
The court was informed that the image, which depicted a casket draped in the Kenyan flag and escorted by military officers dressed in ceremonial uniforms, was fabricated to give the false impression that it involved the President.
The accused is accused of falsifying the date and other details to make the post appear genuine.
Mokaya, who pleaded not guilty to charges of publishing false information, appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Benmark Ekhumbi.
The prosecution emphasised the gravity of the offence, which violates laws aimed at preventing the spread of disinformation and maintaining public order.
The suspect’s alleged actions were in breach of The Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act No. 5 of 2018.According to the act, “A person who intentionally publishes false, misleading or fictitious data or misinforms with the intent that the data shall be considered or acted upon as authentic, with or without any financial gain, commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding Sh5 million or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.
The court granted Mokaya a Sh100,000 bond or a cash bail of Sh50,000. The case has been scheduled for a hearing on December 4, 2024, where further proceedings will be conducted.
