BY IRENE ONYANGO.
A social media influencer has been charged with publishing false information and cyber bullying on subjects related to the anti-government protests.
Francis Ng’ang’a Gaitho appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Robinson Ondieki and denied the charges levelled against him.
The charge against Gaitho stated that he intentionally published false information against the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
It is alleged he posted false information on X social account identified @FGaitho237 on July 15.
The prosecution alleged that Gaitho posted. “The @DCI-Kenya have released the names and photo of Collins Tomaisu Khalisia as the so-called serial killer linked to the bodies found at Kware Dumpsites. However, there are no public records of such a name but cross-referencing the images on the X reveals that his names are Jairus Onkundi, a graduate from Meru University of Science and Technology”.
The charge sheet further quotes Gaitho that, “Government Propagandists like @ItsMutai and TheStarKenya have gone full- throttle running unverified names which don’t appear anywhere on social media. It’s a desperate move meant to pacify the restless masses who have voted threat Ruto must vacate office because he cannot kill us and lead us.The Githurai and Rongai massacres which are being suppressed by the corrupt mainstream and international media. Triggered escalated reports of missing persons and not before the protest.”
The police said that Gaitho published the information with intent that the data would be considered or acted upon as authentic by the public.
According to his lawyers, Gaitho was a respectable journalist and will present himself in court whenever required hence not a flight risk.
He was released on a cashbail of Sh 30,000.
The matter will be heard on 14th August.
