Kitui-based journalist Emmanuel Maleve was released on Friday on a police cash bail of Sh50,000 after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) declined to approve charges against him.
Maleve had been arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) following the publication of a news story alleging corruption involving Kitui South Member of Parliament Rachel Nyamai. The DCI sought to charge him with publishing false information, contrary to Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act of 2018.
However, upon presentation at the Milimani Law Courts, the ODPP declined to proceed with the case, citing what lawyer Evans Ondieki described as an “evidential deficit.”
Maleve’s legal team, led by lawyers Evans Ondieki and Noel Musya, criticized the handling of the case, noting that the DCI had not provided details of the alleged offense or clarified the basis of their investigation.
“The DCI did not brief us on the nature of the charges or the investigations they are pursuing,” said Musya.
The arrest has drawn sharp criticism from local leaders, including former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, who condemned what she termed an attack on press freedom.
Maleve’s release comes amid growing concerns over the harassment of journalists investigating public corruption and the misuse of cybercrime laws to suppress media freedom.
