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Blogger Nyakundi charged with publishing obscenities about CS Matiang’i


Blogger Cyprian Nyakundi was on Thursday charged in court on with publishing obscene information about Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i.

Mr Nyakundi denied publishing and posting obscene information about Dr Matiang’i in his Twitter handle on January 22, 2018.

Dr Matiang’i has been listed as the complainant and the first prosecution witness.

State Prosecutor Solomon Naulikha told Senior Principal Magistrate Mr Kennedy Cheruiyot that the blogger circulated unprintable words about Dr Matiang’i with an aim to deprive and corrupt the public.

Mr Naulikha said the alleged injurious obscene information was published at an unknown place within the Republic of Kenya over an alleged purchase of a house by the CS.

A defence lawyer Ann Nderu applied to have the accused released on bond saying he had been granted an anticipatory bond of Sh100,000 by Justice Luka Kimaru on January 30, 2018 pending his arraignment.

“Justice Kimaru had granted Mr Nyakundi a personal bond of Sh100,000 then ordered him to present himself to the court,” Ms Nderu stated.

ARRESTED AND DETAINED

She added that police breached an order of Justice Kimaru that they should not detain the blogger but instead “they arrested and detained him at the Kamkunji Police Station.”

Granting Nyakundi anticipatory bond, Justice Kimaru directed police not to arrest and detain the blogger.

The defence lawyer urged the court to release her client on bail terms similar to those proncouned by Justice Kimaru, but the prosecution opposed saying the accused had been released while he was being investigated but now he has been charged.

The prosecutor asked the magistrate to grant the blogger fresh bail terms.

In his ruling Mr Cheruiyot said the accused had been out on a personal bond before he was charged.

“I direct that the accused deposits a bond of Sh500,000 until February 14 during pre-bail trial hearing of the case against him. The accused may also deposit a cash bail of Sh100,000 in the event he cannot raise the bond terms,” Mr Cheruiyot ruled.

The court also ordered that, Mr Nyakundi who was arrested on January 26 and detained at Kamkunji police station, be supplied with a list of the prosecution witnesses.