Student held over hate speech granted Sh5m bond
What you need to know:
- Seth Odongo, alias Dikembe Disembe, denied three charges stating he posted offensive messages meant to incite communities to violence in relation to the attacks in the Coast region.
- The court gave Mr Odongo the alternative of depositing a cash bail of Sh2 million to secure his freedom pending hearing on September 4.
A Moi University student held over an alleged Facebook posting deemed as hate speech has been ordered to deposit a Sh5 million bond to secure his freedom.
Seth Odongo, alias Dikembe Disembe, denied three charges stating he posted offensive messages meant to incite communities to violence in relation to the attacks in the Coast region.
A court was told that on July 8, the suspect published words on a Facebook targeted at communities living in Lamu following attacks by gunmen.
The said publication, the prosecution said, amounted to incitement to violence by implying that it was desirable to bring death and physical injury ro some class of people in Kenya.
The prosecution said the publications were threatening and intended to stir up ethnic hatred between communities living in Lamu.
“The publications were intended to incite feelings of contempt, hostility and violence against (a specific) community and pit other communities resident in Lamu county,” prosecutor Leornard Mwanzia said.
SH2 MILLION CASH BAIL
The court gave Mr Odongo the alternative of depositing a cash bail of Sh2 million to secure his freedom pending a hearing on September 4.
Mr Odongo is the second suspect to be charged for alleged online hate speech after TNA candidate for the Gatundu South parliamentary seat, Moses Kuria, faced similar charges.
Mr Kuria also denied posting hate messages on Facebook three weeks ago and was released on similar terms.
