Nairobi lawmaker Babu Owino pushed for President William Ruto to be summoned as a key witness in the ongoing case against political activist Nuru Okanga. Speaking outside a Nairobi court, Owino, flanked by a legal team of 26 lawyers, criticized the prosecution for repeated delays in the proceedings.
Owino’s legal team highlighted frustrations over the prosecution’s failure to produce an expert witness, who was reportedly unavailable due to being in China. The lawmaker argued that these delays violated the legal principle that justice delayed is justice denied.
“Our client is suffering. He travelled from Mumias to Nairobi at his own cost only to find that the prosecution was not ready,” Owino lamented.
Owino insisted that the prosecution appeared to be stalling, fearing a loss in the case. He further stated that the case could not proceed without the complainant, whom he identified as President Ruto. “We want him to come to court. The DCI cannot complain, and prosecutors cannot complain. That is the next application we will be making,” Owino said.
Nuru Okanga faces multiple charges, including publishing false, defamatory, and threatening content on social media. Prosecutors allege that he posted a TikTok video in which he made threatening remarks targeting the President and allegedly urged the then Deputy President to take violent action against him.
The arresting officer, Milton Mwanzi, admitted under cross-examination that he could not verify the video’s authenticity due to lack of expertise in cybercrime investigations. He also confirmed that no court orders were obtained to track Okanga’s movements and that no gadgets were seized during the arrest in January at Tasia Estate, Nairobi.
Following the prosecution’s no-show in court, Babu Owino revealed that Okanga’s legal team would file an application on Tuesday seeking to have President Ruto appear as a state witness, arguing that his presence is essential for the case to move forward.
