A protester who was part of the Anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests has been charged before court for threatening to murder Treasury Cabinet Secretary Prof Njuguna Ndung’u.
The suspect was charged alongside another protester working as chef in Nakuru who was also accused of threatening to kill the Leader of Majority in the National Assembly, Kimani Ichung’wah, over the passing of Finance Bill 2024.
The two suspects identified as Kelvin Wafula Bwire and Stephen Mwangi Kamau were charged before Milimani magistrate Rose Ndubi.
Bwire was charged for a message sent through his WhatsApp account where the court was informed that the message, which was sent without lawful excuse, referred to the CS as an old man.
According to the submissions, the suspect unlawfully sent a message saying “Wee Mzee your time is up, and you should be dead!” to CS Ndung’u.
Separately, the other suspect Kamau was charged with sending a threatening message to Ichung’wah saying: “I swear if the Bill passes, I will plan an accident and you will not survive”.
Two men charged for sending threats to CS Ndung’u and Ichung’wah
The accused duo further faces four other counts of using derogatory and demeaning language against President William Ruto and MP Ichung’wah.
During the court proceedings, the defense lawyer while praying for the release on bond for the two men said that they were arrested for protesting against the passing of the Finance Bill 2024, arguing that the entire country is in the whirlwind of rejecting the Bill.
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Kamau was identified as a mere chef who earns Sh6,500 from his employment at a Nakuru Hotel and cannot afford a bond, according to the submissions made to the court.
The prosecution, however, urged the court to impose a high bond since the accused have threatened the lives of the two leaders.
Their arrest came after the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) issued a cautionary statement on sharing of personal data following a surge in the sharing of personal data affiliated to elected leaders which included their personal phone numbers.
ODPC in a statement on Wednesday, June 19, advised members of public to refrain from sharing of personal information.
“ODPC has established that there has been a recent trend of consolidating and sharing of personal information (names, telephone numbers, location and details of family members) of a certain category of citizens through social media platforms,” read part of the statement.
Office of the Data Protection Commissioner warning
According to the office, the practice happened without the affected citizens’ consent contrary to the provisions of Article 31 of the Constitution of Kenya, the Data Protection Act, 2019 and its attendant regulations.
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The Office advised members of public to refrain from further sharing of personal information which according to it infringes on individuals’ rights to privacy.
Meanwhile, the Milimani High Court has ordered the immediate and unconditional release of protesters reportedly arrested and abducted by law enforcement agencies in the wake of the anti-finance bill demonstrations.
This follows a petition filed by John Githiaka, Brian Ngula and 11 others against the National Police Service (NPS) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) which they accused of orchestrating the abductions.
In his ruling, Justice Chacha Mwita certified the application as urgent noting it raises serious and urgent issues regarding violations of constitutional rights enshrined in the Bill of Right.
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