Court Detains Man Who Published President Ruto’s Funeral Depiction
Benson Malova Ashiko, a man arrested for distributing a doctored photo of President William Ruto’s funeral, has been jailed for four days to let police complete their investigation.
On Monday, January 27, 2025, Milimani High Court Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi ordered Ashiko to be arrested at the Muthaiga police station, as sought by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ (DCI) Serious Crime Unit.
According to the application submitted by SCU Officer Edwin Metto, the defendant published and changed a photo of President Ruto’s burial on his X account, Ash Papi_TM @Mr_Papi5.
UPDATE: X account user Benson Ashiko has been detained for a viral post depicting President Ruto’s funeral. He faces charges under the Computer Misuse & Cybercrime act. #psmediakeupdate pic.twitter.com/T5vnKhOYtN
— PSMedia.ke (@PSMedia_ke) January 27, 2025
Ashiko then tagged it with ‘condolences to the first family’, which was ruled dishonest and misleading.
“The applicant is investigating a case of publication of false information contrary to section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act No. 5 of 2018 whereby the user of the above-stated account is involved,” part of the DCI’s SCU application read.
Furthermore, the application argues that Ashiko’s publishing may have an impact on the reputation of the President of the Republic of Kenya, as well as other members of his family whose photographs were included in the photo.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Shitubi instructed Officer Metto to guarantee that the respondent was not tortured while in jail, citing concerns about those associated with cases involving the most powerful being tortured.
“I hope you have understood, I just want to know that you understood, you know every cases affecting the most powerful there is that fear that maybe he will be tortured please don’t,” Magistrate Shitubi directed.
“Let him not be tortured, give him the best circumstances you can for remand.”
BENSON ASHIKO ALIAS ASHPAPI BY THE HANDLE ( @Mr_Papi5 ) WAS ABDUCTED, KINDLY LET'S MOBILIZE #FREEASHPAPI #FREEBENSONASHIKO
— Billy Mwangi (@MwangiHub) January 26, 2025
RETWEET WIDELY! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Qw2m7t59NE
The DCI had requested that the respondent be kept for 14 days to complete investigations, however, due to health issues revealed in court, he will be detained for four days.
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The court has also instructed that he be escorted to the hospital to access the medications he requires.
Shitubi further ruled that if the officer in charge did not complete the investigations within four days, the respondent would be automatically freed on a Ksh50,000 bond or Ksh5,000 cash bail.
Ashiko was arrested on January 24, 2025, in Bungoma township, Bungoma County, and was then transported to Nairobi and detained at Muthaiga police station under OB Number 25/25/01/2025.
The case will be heard in court for additional instructions on February 10, 2025.
Court Detains Man Who Published President Ruto’s Funeral Depiction
