Pauline Njoroge Released

Communication strategist and Jubilee Party Deputy Organising Secretary Pauline Njoroge has been released.

Njoroge was set free unconditionally after police in Watamu made an about-turn and dropped narcotics charges against her, charges that did not feature on the charge sheet.

However, the police still intend to prefer charges of defamation and cyber harassment upon her, with the charge sheet seen by Viral Tea revealing that she is accused of publishing false information on her official Twitter account on Friday and Saturday.

On the first count of defamation, she is accused of publishing false information on the protests in Nyalenda, Kisumu.

"On 21st Day of July 2023 at an unknown place within the Republic of Kenya publish false information on your verified Twitter account @paulinenjoroge to wit "So police officers will now be using South Sudan's number plates when going to raid homes of innocent Kenyans?" knowingly to be false and circulated to cause panic and chaos among citizens of the Republic of Kenya," the second charge read.

The blogger has also been charged with two counts of cyber harassment through her Twitter account on Friday, and accused of posting statements with the intention of discrediting the reputation of President William Ruto.

Her arrest and subsequent charges however rattled allies of the Kenya Kwanza government, including Digital Strategist Dennis Itumbi who was among the first to disagree with charges levelled against her.

In his argument, the former Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) nominee noted that all Kenyans were allowed to make mistakes in their social media posts.

"Publishing on mainstream and on Social Media includes the right to make mistakes, to get it wrong. That is why Media houses carry apologies on their pages after getting it wrong. It is okay in the business of publishing to get it wrong.

"On social media, fake news cannot be cured by arresting anyone. The best way is to fact-check them and state the right position. Importantly, it has been upheld across civilisation that even the right to insult is part of free speech. On this one, with utmost respect to the office of the DPP, I disagree," stated Itumbi.

The CAS nominee appealed to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to drop the charges and set her free.

"Free Pauline Njoroge and if you can drop these charges (do it). I chose silence till I saw the charge sheet!" he added.

Driver Arrested Alongside Njoroge Faints In Court

There was drama at the Malindi Law Courts on Monday after the driver who was arrested together with Njoroge collapsed while waiting for the court proceedings.

Njoroge, Jane Mwangi and Emanze Jilani were driven from the Watamu police station and arrived at the courts, 26 kilometres away at 12:30 pm. Emanze reportedly fainted as he could not believe that he had been arrested, and it took efforts by the crowd in court to resuscitate him.

The trio were arrested on Saturday, July 22 after the car they were travelling in was intercepted by detectives along the Watamu- Jakaranda road.

They were allegedly found in possession of narcotics drugs upon search of the car and their hotel rooms.

Here is the video courtesy of Citizen TV:

Drama in Malindi court as Emanze Jilani, the driver arrested together with popular blogger Pauline Njoroge, faints in courtroom pic.twitter.com/4C2aoKDKeJ — Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) July 24, 2023