Nairobi News

Tharaka Nithi Governor Samuel Ragwa has recorded a statement with the Criminal Investigation Department after an offending post against him was made on Facebook.

Speaking to the Daily Nation on phone, the county legal advisor Mr Frank Njeru said the matter will be handled as a criminal case since the post in question was offensive to the governor.

A 28-year old former political science student at University of Nairobi, James Kithinji is being probed for the posts he is alleged to have made on Facebook on March 18.

Police arrested the student on Monday after the governor made a complaint of the offensive post but the accused was later released on a cash bail of Sh20,000.

However a section of Tharaka Nithi youths have criticized the arrest of the young man and asked the governor to pardon him since he was expressing his opinion as a Tharaka Nithi resident.

OFFENSIVE POST

Mr Njeru said the DCIO was investigating the matter to establish more information that will be presented before court on Friday.

“The post was offensive in nature. We are waiting for investigating officers to take action. They were to present the matter to the court within 24 hours but since they have not completed the investigations they requested that accussed person to be taken to court on Thursday,” he said.

County Assembly Speaker John Mbabu also recorded a statement with the DCIO on Monday accusing the same person for defamation.

The officials had complained that the persistent insults against them amounted political incitements on social media.

This is not the first incident of prominent political figures seeking legal action over offensive posts on social media.

In January, Embu Governor Martin Wambora sued a 24 year old woman for allegedly insulting him on Facebook.