BY IRENE ONYANGO.
Journalist and twitter enthusiast Scophine Aoko Otieno popularly known as Maverick Aoko has been charged before a Nairobi court with publishing defamatory statements on her X handle.
Aoko was presented before Milimani Chief Magistrate Susan Shitumbi after spending the weekend in custody.
She denied several counts, which the police deemed as defamatory.
The first count stated that she made a post on her X account on 3rd August 2024 at an unknown place.
The charge sheet stated that she made the post through her handle Maverick Aoko @AokoOtieno.
It is alleged that she posted. “Maze it disorients me to say this …But Amber Ray is innocent. She did not ruin marriage ya Jamal and 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 said content had false information calculated to cause fear, panic and destroy the reputation and professional income and livelihood of Beth Wambui Mbuitu.
Aoko is facing another charge of cyber harassment and fraudulent use of electronic data contrary to Section 38 of the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act.
The prosecution said she posted false and defamatory information against Wambui, information the prosecution said was false and calculated to tarnish and discredit Wambui’s name.
She was released on a bond of Sh 200,000 or an alternative cash bail of Sh100,000.
