Prison warder accused of inciting rebellion released on Sh50,000 cash bail
He was arrested inside his residence at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison's staff quarters.
Kenya Prisons Service (KPS) officer Jackson Kuria Kihara, alias Cop Shakur, has denied a charge of publishing false information, contrary to Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act of 2018.
Kihara is accused of publishing false information that a Cabinet secretary and a certain Ruto are responsible for abductions.
He allegedly posted the information on his X account on January 11, stating that a CS of an undisclosed ministry and a person only identified as Ruto were behind the abductions.
Kihara denied the charge before Senior Principal Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe and sought lenient bail and bond terms.
The charge sheet does not list any of the citizens of Kenya exposed to panic attacks by Kihara's post or the CS referred to as an upcoming dictator in the post.
The alleged Ruto behind the abductions is also not identified as a witness in the case.
Only investigators and a digital forensic expert are listed as witnesses but their names are not disclosed. They are expected to be testifying together with others yet to be named.
He was released on a Sh100,000 bond with surety or an alternative Sh50,000 cash bail plus a contact person who must be an employee of the government of Kenya.
The case will be mentioned on February 17 for a pre-trial.
Kihara serves in the prison service together with his wife. He was arrested inside his residence at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison's staff quarters.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had told the court that it was investigating cases of inciting a mutiny contrary to Section 47 of the Penal Code Cap 63 laws of Kenya and publishing false information contrary to Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act of 2018.
Detective Constable Meshack Mutinda of DCI's Serious Crimes Unit said Kihara has been publishing false information on his X account and inciting other members of the disciplined services on his account.
In an affidavit filed in court, the detective had alleged that various postings by Kihara were a serious threat to national security and were inciting other members of disciplined services.
Mutinda said that Kihara is a disciplined services officer who is trained on the use of various firearms and hence can interfere with investigations.
However, he did not elaborate on how Kihara's skills and training in using various firearms are likely to interfere with the investigations into cases of publishing false information and incitement to mutiny.
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