Raila supporter Nuru Okanga charged for insulting President Ruto

Nuru Okanga, a diehard supporter of opposition Leader Raila Odinga, was arrested and arraigned in court for allegedly insulting President William Ruto.

According to a police report seen by Citizen Digital, Okanga was apprehended on Wednesday and arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on Thursday after a viral video of him hurling insults at the Head of State last week surfaced online.

Appearing before Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina, the 32-year-old was charged with publishing false information on a YouTube channel dubbed Riba News on November 20, 2023, at an unknown place in Kenya.

The court documents said the clip was circulated under the name 'Nuru Okanga on Fire.'

The prosecution argued that Okanga’s publication of false information sought to tarnish the reputation of a State officer and upset peace in the country.

“On the 20th day of November 2023 at an unknown place within the Republic of Kenya, jointly with others not before court, using YouTube Account/Channel RIBA NEWS (ribanews) published online a video captioned ... "NURU OKANGA ON FIRE!" information you knew to be false and calculated to discredit the reputation of a state officer and VI with intend to provoke a breach of the peace,” read court papers.

Okanga was released on a cash bail of Ksh.10,000 with the case set to be mentioned on December 13, 2023.

He has in the past found himself in the soup with authorities over his blatant utterances directed at the current regime.

In March this year, Okanga was nabbedtogether with two other Odinga loyalists namely Calvin Gaucho and Charles Ooko MC Olonde for allegedly leading anti-government protests.

They were however released later on Ksh.1,000 cash bail each.