Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has announced plans to summon President William Ruto as a key witness in the ongoing trial of political activist Nuru Okanga.
Speaking on Monday, November 24, outside a Nairobi court, Owino—accompanied by a team of 26 lawyers criticised the prosecution for stalling the case.
He accused prosecutors of failing to produce an expert witness, allegedly unavailable because they were in China.
Invoking the principle that “justice delayed is justice denied,” Owino claimed the prosecution was intentionally dragging out the proceedings out of fear of losing the case.
“Our client is suffering. He travelled from Mumias to Nairobi at his own cost only for the prosecution to say they are not ready,” he said.
Owino argued that the trial could not proceed without the main complainant, whom he identified as President Ruto.
“These are signs the state has already lost this case. We want the prosecution to present the main witness, who is President Ruto. We want him to come to court,” he insisted, adding that neither the DCI nor the prosecutors could substitute the role of a complainant.
Okanga is facing several charges, including publishing false, defamatory, and threatening information on social media, with prosecutors alleging he posted a TikTok video containing threats directed at the President.
They further claim he urged the then–Deputy President to use violent means against the Head of State.
Okanga was arrested in Tasia Estate, Nairobi, in January after the video went viral. However, under cross-examination, arresting officer Milton Mwanzi admitted he could not authenticate the video as he had no cybercrime expertise.
He also acknowledged that no court orders were obtained to track Okanga’s movements and no electronic devices were seized during the arrest.
Following the prosecution’s failure to produce a witness on Monday, Owino said Okanga’s legal team would file an application on Tuesday seeking to have President Ruto called as a state witness.
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