Two in Nairobi charged with impersonating journalists
Fred Azelwa and Thomas Owino at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on September 24, 2021, when they were charged over giving false information about being members of the Media Council of Kenya.
Two people were charged Friday with giving false information to the Senate public relations officer, claiming they were members of the Media Council of Kenya (MCK).
Thomas Ochieng Owino and Fred Odanga Azelwa were arraigned before Milimani senior principal magistrate David Ndungi in Nairobi.
Mr Owino and Mr Azelwa are accused of introducing themselves to Mr James Maina Macharia as members of MCK on July 21.
The charge sheet states that the two wanted Mr Macharia to grant them access to the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
State prosecutor Abel Omariba informed the court that Mr Azelwas was found with a media card he claimed was issued to them by MCK.
On July 9, the court heard, the accused presented the card to Mr Macharia knowing it had been acquired fraudulently.
Mr Azelwa was charged with defying Section 353 of the penal code by presenting the card to the officer.
The two defendants, who were unrepresented, denied the charges and prayed to be freed on bond, saying they publish content online and are not a flight risk.
Mr Omariba did not oppose their plea for bail. He told the court that he will furnish the two with witness statements and copies of exhibits the prosecution wishes to rely on in the case.
Mr Ndungi noted that the state was not opposed to freeing the accused on bond since this is a constitutional right.
The two were released on a cash bail of Sh50,000 each in the case that will be mentioned on October 8 for issuing of pretrial directions.
