DCI detains writer behind controversial Charlene Ruto publication
Ochora was arrested and is currently detained at Muthaiga Police Station, with forensic officers analysing his laptop for potential evidence.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is investigating author Webster Ochora Elijah over alleged identity theft in connection with a controversial book titled Beyond the Name: Charlene Ruto and the Youth Uprising.
Ochora was arrested and is currently detained at Muthaiga Police Station, with forensic officers analysing his laptop for potential evidence.
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Authorities claim the book uses the name of Charlene Ruto without consent, potentially violating the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act. Ochora is set to appear in court on Tuesday, June 3, 2025.
The arrest has raised questions among legal experts and supporters, who argue the action is unjust and intended to silence young voices.
Speaking at Muthaiga Police Station, Advocate Evans Ondeki defended Ochora’s work and said public figures should expect scrutiny.
“When you're elected or associated with public office,” Ondeki said, “you surrender about 50 per cent of your right to privacy. You cannot be so thick-skinned that the use of your name or image becomes an offense.”
The legal team insists that the book was neither malicious nor criminal. They maintain that Ochora’s work falls under protected creative expression.
Kennedy Mung’are, another lawyer representing the family, said the young author is being unfairly treated despite his record as a serious writer.
“The young man detained here is a publisher, an author,” said Mung’are.
“He’s written books on Donald Trump and Raila Odinga. He was working on a positive piece about Charlene Ruto. It’s unfortunate that, without due process, he’s being held like this,” he added.
Investigators are also trying to trace the people behind the book’s production and financing. The DCI has yet to share specific information about its findings, and the full content of the book remains unknown.
Despite the lack of clarity, Ochora’s arrest has already triggered a wider conversation about the limits of creative freedom and the interpretation of cybercrime laws.
“Freedom of expression includes the right to use public images for commentary,” Ondeki said.
“In a democracy like Kenya’s, young people must be allowed to express themselves creatively. Arresting them for that undermines our democratic values,” he added.
Ondeki added that the police should end the detention and called on Charlene Ruto to be more open to critique.
“We urge the police to release Webster Ochora. He has not committed an offense. And we also call on Charlene Ruto not to react so sensitively to criticism. As a public figure, she must learn to accommodate different views—that’s the essence of democracy,” he said.
With debate growing and legal pressure mounting, all eyes are now on the DCI’s next steps and the upcoming court appearance.
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