Wamuzi News Ke
In a dramatic twist today at Milimani Law Courts, a digital forensic expert stunned proceedings by admitting he cannot definitively link Moi University student David Mokaya Ooga to a widely circulated fake social media post claiming President William Ruto had died.
The alleged post, dated November 13, 2024, declared “Ruto’s body leaves Lee Funeral Home.” Prosecutors claim the message originated on platforms tied to accounts associated with Ooga, a fourth-year undergraduate.
But forensic analyst Boniface Machibi, working under Kenya’s cybercrime and digital forensics unit, broke critical ground in cross-examination.
Despite extracting data from a Samsung Galaxy A23 smartphone and a laptop, he acknowledged the evidence only connected to the gadgets—not to any specific individual .
Machibi detailed how, on November 28, 2024, he used the Cellebrite UFED tool to retrieve user profiles—including handles like Boz Gabi, Urban Trend Ke, and Masillas—and a screenshot of the viral post.
On the laptop, he located a file timestamped to match the post’s publication date. Yet, under defence probing, Machibi conceded unequivocally: “I can only link the data to the gadgets, not to a specific individual” .
Defence counsel Danstan Omari and Ian Mutiso seized on those admissions, raising pointed questions about liability and intent.
They suggested the post might have been created by artificial intelligence or a bot, which Machibi did not rule out. “Yes, I am aware that robots also generate and circulate content… but the information in this criminal case was authored by the accused and shared on X,” Machibi responded, later adding he had no personal contact with the device owner .
The trial continues under the supervision of Senior Principal Magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi, who has declined defence calls to dismiss the case.
Instead, he granted a postponement request and scheduled the next hearing for September 8, 2025, amid mounting claims that the legal ordeal is harming Mokaya’s academic performance .
The case has sparked national debate. Online activism under the hashtag #DropDavidMokayaCharges has gained momentum, with advocates arguing Mokaya’s prosecution is a threat to digital expression.
Meanwhile, legal observers await further expert testimony to determine whether the digital trail is sufficient to confirm identity or culpability.With no conclusive forensic evidence tying Mokaya to the post, the case now hinges on broader questions: Were the devices misappropriated?
Was the post machine‑generated? And can digital content ever replace traditional proof of authorship? As tensions rise, the court’s next session promises a crucial ruling on boundaries between technology, attribution, and criminal liability.
