Blogger Itumbi denies charge of hacking airline mail

Journalist Dennis Itumbi when he appeared before that PSC on Defence at Continental House in Nairobi on April 12, 2012. Photo/STEPHEN MUDIARI

What you need to know:

  • It was alleged that on June 18, he published an article titled “The dangers in our skies, revelation of leaked e-mails”.
  • Mr Itumbi is accused of indirectly intercepting e-mail conversation between Mr Mathews Bwana and Jetlink Airlines managing director Elly Aluvale without the company’s permission.
  • He is also accused of publishing depraving electronic material on his blog, www.dennisitumbi.com.

Journalist and blogger Dennis Itumbi has been charged with intercepting data without consent.

Mr Itumbi is accused of indirectly intercepting e-mail conversation between Mr Mathews Bwana and Jetlink Airlines managing director Elly Aluvale without the company’s permission.

He is also accused of publishing depraving electronic material on his blog, www.dennisitumbi.com.

It is alleged that on June 18, he published an article titled “The dangers in our skies, revelation of leaked e-mails”.

The article was prompted by the e-mail conversations he allegedly hacked between Mr Aluvale and Mr Bwana on December 14, 2011.

Mr Itumbi denied the charges and was released on a cash bail of Sh100,000 by senior principle magistrate Lucy Nyambura. The case will be heard on September 6.

The journalist is not new to allegations of hacking into computer data.

In April, he was arrested by CID officers for allegedly hacking the ICC website and interfering with witnesses lined up to testify in cases facing the Ocampo Four in The Hague. (READ: Itumbi held over ICC hacking claims)

He was, however, released without any charges but later appeared before a parliamentary committee, which was investigating a dossier tabled in Parliament by Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo and Dujis MP Aden Duale on March 8, claiming that the British government was at the centre of an alleged conspiracy relating to the ICC.

Mr Itumbi is the second blogger to be charged with publishing offensive articles in social media.

On Wednesday last week, Mr Robert Alai Onyango was charged with using his Twitter account to insult the Government Spokesman, Dr Alfred Mutua. (READ: Blogger denies abusing Mutua)

It was alleged that Mr Onyango posted a message on August 16 claiming that Dr Mutua ordered the killing of University of Nairobi student G.P Oulu and human rights activist Oscar King’ara.

His case will be heard on September 13.