A primary school teacher is now behind bars after he was arrested over his Facebook post that claimed Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia was dead.
A statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Sunday, January 23, indicated that the teacher, identified as Jeremiah Mwavuganga Samuel,31, was nabbed after extensive investigations.
He was arrested on Saturday, January 22, at Makueni County's Makutano Shopping centre in Nzaui.
"A male teacher who authored a Facebook post using a fake account purporting to be that of the Teachers Service Commission and alleging that the commission's Chief Executive Officer was dead has been arrested.
"Jeremiah Mwavuganga Samuel, 31, a teacher at Musiini Pry Sch in Makueni County was arrested yesterday at the county's Makutano Shopping centre in Nzaui," read the statement in part.
His pursuit and subsequent arrest followed an extensive forensic analysis to identify the suspect, a joint operation shouldered by DCI Emali and the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau detectives.
Upon his arrest, Mwavuganga - who has been a teacher at the said school for four years - was found in possession of the handset used in creating the viral post. The Facebook account used was also confirmed to be his.
The suspect, born and raised in Wundanyi in Taita Taveta County was escorted to DCI Headquarters where appropriate charges are being preferred against him.
Mwavuganga is set to be arraigned in court on Monday, January 24.
In line with his arrest, DCI issued a stern warning to those who misuse social media platforms by authoring misleading messages.
The agency claimed that the sensational messages are often aimed at causing abject humiliation, blackmailing and defrauding.
"Any such information that is punishable by law. Such contemptible conducts will be investigated and perpetrators brought to book," warned the statement.
