Dennis Itumbi Protests Arrest Of Nuru Okanga, Offers Him Lawyer: "There Exist Right To Offend"

• Renowned digital strategist Dennis Itumbi voiced his dissatisfaction over the alleged arrest of Raila's supporter, Nuru Okanga
• Itumbi offered to provide legal assistance to Okanga and condemned the arrest of bloggers for expressing offensive comments against President William Ruto
• He vehemently opposed the idea of arresting individuals for insulting the president, emphasising the right of every Kenyan to express opinions

Renowned digital strategist Dennis Itumbi has expressed his displeasure with the arrest of ODM leader Raila Odinga's diehard fanatic Nuru Okanga.

Okanga, who has lately been the topic of discussion since the release of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination results on Thursday, November 22, claimed that he had been apprehended by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Why Nuru Okanga was arrested

He would then be produced in court a day later, where he was charged with one count of publication of false information, contrary to Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act.

According to the prosecution, Okanga's claims, as captured in a video, were false and calculated to discredit the reputation of a state officer with the intent to provoke a breach of peace.

"He uttered the following words: ...Yaani unakuja kudanganya wakenya mchana kuwa mafuta haikuwa... (...Ruto you came here to deceive Kenyans in broad daylight that there was no fuel...)," read the charge sheet in part.

Reacting to the court events on X, Itumbi protested the arrest, implying there were no proper grounds to charge the vocal political activist.

Dennis Itumbi's reservations about Okanga's arrest

According to Itumbi, Okang'a was within his rights to say whatever he did, further explaining that Ruto, the subject of the case, had not complained of having been abused.

He offered to foot the costs for a legal representative in favour of Okanga; according to him, no social media activist should be troubled for expressing their disgust or perceived offensive comments against the officers of the state, the president included.

"I completely disagree with the idea of arresting bloggers for insulting the president. Whoever is doing it should stop that completely. Please, Wakili @W_Kinuthia, if Nuru Okanga agrees, represent him in court at my cost," he said.

Itumbi insisted that every Kenyan has a right to offend, shock or disturb, adding that the president is also quite busy and not interested in the arrest of his critics.

"Who exactly is the complainant? Let the bloggers express themselves," he said.

Okanga released on bail

His lawyer, Emmanuel Kibet, asked the court to give him lenient bail terms as he is a student who intends to join Form One next year.

"Your honour, my client is a student who intends to join Form One next year; he is not a flight risk. He is a family man with three young children; he lives in Riverside. We are asking for reasonable bail terms," Kibet prayed.

Okanga was freed on KSh 10,000 cash bail after denying the charges before Milimani Law Courts Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina.

The case will be mentioned on December 13 this year.