Kenya student on trial for fake caption of Ruto 'funeral'
Kenya has been cracking down on critics of the government since massive protests against tax rises and corruption last June.
FILE: Kenya's President William Ruto speaks during a joint press conference with Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (not pictured) after their bilateral meeting at the prime minister office in Tokyo on 8 February 2024. Picture: AFP
NAIROBI - A Kenyan university student was in court on Thursday, charged with publishing false information over a fake picture caption pretending that President William Ruto was dead.
Kenya has been cracking down on critics of the government since massive protests against tax rises and corruption last June.
Security forces are accused by rights groups of killing at least 60 people during the protests and abducting dozens more in the aftermath.
David Mokaya, 24, was arrested late last year after posting a picture of a funeral procession on social media with the caption: "President William Ruto's Body leaves Lee Funeral Home".
At the latest hearing on Thursday, the case was quickly adjourned to July 31.
Mokaya's lawyer said the case was "an attack on freedom of expression".
"Our client was taking the right... as a citizen of Kenya to express his political opinions, express political satire... and also criticise the head of state," he told AFP.
"Political satire is not a crime," he added. "The case is very flimsy."
In December, at least five people went missing for several weeks, with rights groups saying they were targeted by security forces for similar online satire.
At least two of them were abducted after sharing AI-generated photos of Ruto in a coffin.
Another of the group, cartoonist Gideon Kibet -- also known as Kibet Bull -- had been posting cartoons of the president but after his abduction said he would stop.
Rights groups blame a shadowy unit drawn from intelligence and counter-terrorism agencies for the abductions.
The government and police have denied responsibility.
But Ruto earlier this month appeared to take responsibility, telling a press conference: "All the people who disappeared or who were abducted... have been brought back to their families... and I have given clarity and firm instructions that nothing of that kind of nature will happen again."