A university student facing charges over an online post linked to President William Ruto’s alleged “coffin” image received a reprieve after a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer testified that the student’s mobile number was not directly tied to the post.
Chief Inspector Bosco Kisau, from the DCI’s Serious Crimes Unit, told the Milimani Law Courts that although the student, David Oaga Mokaya, was arrested in Eldoret and his phone confiscated, there was no conclusive evidence showing that his number was used to upload the controversial content. He added that a search warrant for the phone was only sought after the seizure had already taken place.
Kisau confirmed that the viral post contained a coffin draped in the national flag with a caption reading “President Ruto.” However, under cross-examination, he admitted the image did not feature the president himself and that the wording was not sufficient to prove it referred to the Head of State.
The court also heard from a Safaricom security officer, who presented call and text records associated with the student’s number. While the records placed the phone in Eldoret at the time, no clear evidence linked the account to the contentious post.
Mokaya has pleaded not guilty to charges of publishing false information and remains out on bond. The case highlights growing tensions around freedom of expression and the limits of online speech in Kenya’s digital space.
Written By Were Kelly
