- University student David Oaga Mokaya is accused of posting an image of a coffin linked to President Ruto.
- A DCI officer testified that Mokaya’s phone number was not directly tied to the viral post.
- The coffin image did not feature Ruto, and the wording alone could not prove it referred to him.
- Safaricom records placed the student in Eldoret but gave no direct link to the post.
- Mokaya pleaded not guilty and is out on bond as the case continues.
Chief Inspector Bosco Kisau of the DCI’s Serious Crimes Unit told the Milimani Law Courts that investigators had not found conclusive evidence linking Mokaya’s phone to the post. He admitted a search warrant for the device was only sought after it had already been seized.
Kisau also confirmed the viral post showed a coffin draped in the national flag with a caption reading “President Ruto.” But under cross-examination, he conceded that the image did not feature Ruto himself, and the words were insufficient to prove it referred directly to the Head of State.
A Safaricom security officer presented call and text logs tied to Mokaya’s number. The data showed the phone was in Eldoret at the time of the incident. However, no evidence directly linked the line to the uploading of the controversial content.
Mokaya has pleaded not guilty to publishing false information and is currently out on bond. His case has stirred debate on the balance between online freedom of expression and restrictions on digital speech in Kenya.
