Woman in hot water for linking Joho to Sh40bn fraud

A social media user has found herself in trouble for allegedly claiming in a WhatsApp group that Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary, Hassan Joho, and his brother, Abubakar Ali Joho (Abu), defrauded Mombasa County of over Sh40 billion.

According to court records, Ms Matilda Maodo Kinzani also attempted to link Mr Abubakar to drug trafficking and theft of containers at the Port of Mombasa.

Ms Kinzani is facing four criminal charges for publishing false information under Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act.

A charge sheet presented before Mombasa Court indicates that the suspect knowingly published information titled “To the Government of Kenya and the Gen-Z,” which falsely claimed that Mr Abubakar is involved in drug trafficking.

According to State prosecutors, the accused published the false information, which is likely to damage the reputation of Mr Abubakar, who is also a businessman in Mombasa.

Ms Kinzani is also alleged to have published false information on social media, claiming that Mr Abubakar improperly acquired railway land in Mombasa.

Ms Kinzani failed to appear in court on Monday to respond to the charges, with her advocate, Mr Michael Oloo, explaining that she had been taken ill.

Mr Oloo requested Mombasa Senior Resident Magistrate, David Odhiambo, to defer the matter to another date as his client recovers.

Court records indicate that on August 21, the magistrate lifted a warrant of arrest that had been issued against Ms Kinzani.

The magistrate also postponed plea-taking to allow for negotiations between the suspect and the victims.
Ms Kinzani was granted a Sh700,000 bond or Sh300,000 cash bail pending plea taking.

Investigations show that the victims reported computer misuse cybercrimes and harassment to the police following the circulation of a letter via social media platform addressed to the Government of Kenya and Gen-Z.

The letter is purported to have originated from Mkenya Mzalendo.