Edgar Obare released on Sh100,000 cash bail after denying charges

Vlogger Edgar Obare was Monday released on Sh100,000 cash bail after being charged with unlawfully publishing private and personal details from the passport of a renowned local YouTuber.

Mr Obare, who runs a popular Instagram page that specialises in local celebrity exposes, allegedly committed the offence between July 9 and 13.

The charge sheet states that “using your social media accounts, domain name www.bnn.ke and verified Instagram account @edgarobare, [he]unlawfully disclosed to your online followers personal data belonging to one Natalie Wanjiru Githinji without her consent”.

He denied all the charges before Kiambu Resident Magistrate Rita Oraro.

THE ARREST

Mr Obare was arrested in Kisumu County last Thursday and was later transferred to the headquarters of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations for further investigations.

He was held at Gigiri Police Station ahead of this arraignment.

The vlogger’s lawyer Titus Munene urged the court to release him on lenient terms.

The magistrate asked Mr Obare to refrain from publishing information about the case on his blog or on any mainstream media.

THE CLAIMS

Mr Obare’s arraignment came after he took to his Instagram page to post a string of posts alleging that the female YouTuber, popularly known as Natalie Tewa, was part of a top entourage that visited ODM leader Raila Odinga in Dubai.

The entourage that used a private jet included Suna East MP Junet Mohamed and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.

Mr Junet and Mr Joho had shared photos from their trip with their online followers.

It was these photos that Mr Obare used to claim that the YouTube was part of the entourage.