Blogger Silvance Adongo was on Tuesday charged at the Milimani Law Courts for publishing false information about Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
According to the charge sheet, the blogger is accused of publishing defamatory information on his X, formerly Twitter account where he claimed that the Deputy President was offering Ksh320 million to have Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro assassinated.
The blogger who runs the account Karen Wanjiku HSC, was arraigned and charged with publishing false information contrary to section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act.
Section 23 of The Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act reads, "A person who knowingly publishes information that is false in print, broadcast, data or over a computer system, that is calculated or results in panic, chaos, or violence among citizens of the Republic, or which is likely to discredit the reputation of a person commits an offence and shall on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding five million shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years, or to both."
The blogger however denied the charges and was released on bail.
The case is to be mentioned in two-weeks' time.
Adongo was arrested on Friday, September 13 by detectives for allegedly spreading propaganda against the Deputy President and other government officials.
The detectives also termed the blogger as a notorious cyberbully. He was subsequently detained at Muthaiga police station.
After his arrest, Adongo started an online fund-raiser, requesting fans to help pay his bail.
Adongo is also known to have blogged for Azimio Coalition, Kenya's leading opposition party, during the 2022 presidential elections.
Notably, upon first signing of the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) petitioned in court to suspend 26 sections of the act.
They claimed that it contravened the rights and freedoms of bloggers and the media.
The High Court dismissed the case.
