Nairobi, Junw 20- Activist and software developer Rose Njeri has been freed after a Milimani court ruled that the criminal charges against her were illegal and failed to disclose any offence.
Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo dismissed the charges as defective and ambiguous, saying they did not meet the legal threshold. He also emphasized that public participation is a right for every Kenyan—referring to Njeri’s website that allowed citizens to object to the 2025 Finance Bill.
Njeri was charged under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act for allegedly interfering with computer systems. Her arrest on May 30, following a tweet about the website, and her three-day detention at Pangani Police Station sparked public outrage.
Activists were blocked from seeing her, causing tensions at the station. She was released on Ksh100,000 bond on June 3, with her case heard on June 20.
In court, Njeri was represented by a prominent legal team led by former Chief Justice David Maraga, alongside Kalonzo Musyoka, John Khaminwa, Eugene Wamalwa, and other senior lawyers. Crowds outside the courthouse rallied for her release, which was finally granted.
