Boniface Mwangi freed on Ksh1M personal bond, demands apology from DCI
A Nairobi court has, on Monday, July 21, 2025, freed vocal activist Boniface Mwangi on a personal bond of Ksh1 million bond or an authority of a similar amount.
Kahawa Principal Magistrate Gideon Kiage Oenga, in his ruling, has stated that there are no compelling reasons presented by the prosecution that can warrant orders of detaining him in custody.
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The court also noted that the activist is a well-known person, and his place of abode is also well known to the authorities, thus overruling the concern that he might not appear in court if released on bond terms.
“There are no compelling reasons to continue holding the accused person in custody pending trial, I hereby order that the accused be set at liberty upon securing a personal bond of Ksh1 million or an authority of similar amount,” Magistrate Kiage ruled.
The defense lawyers led by Senior Counsel Martha Karua and lawyer Ndegwa Njiru, urged the court to order the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer to return the items that were confiscated from his Lukenya residence in Machakos County.
Lawyer Njiru said that the DCI in what he termed as an illegal search, took with them mobile phones, notebooks, and Mac book Pro laptop that belonged to Mwangi’s children, and they needed them for their studies.
Further, he stated that the items do not fall in the category of what the Office of Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) will be relying on in their trial.
“This are not ammunitions, we urge that Mr. K. Robert be ordered by this court to immediately return those properties to the rightful and lawful owner,” lawyer Njiru told the court.
Terrorism
The defense, also told court that after the arrest on July 19, 2025, DCI was quick to publish on their social media handles namely Facebook and X, that they have arrested him for facilitating terrorism acts contrary to what has been presented in court today.
They also sought for a court order, directing Mr. K. Robert to rectify the information published in the DCI social media handles, stating that the posts have hurt his character both nationally and internationally.
Notably, the defense team further urged court to order the DCI Officer to issue an apology for defamatory, incorrect and malicious posts linking Boniface with criminal acts of terrorism.
“That Mr. K. Robert be ordered by this court to rectify that damaging information contained in those social media handles,” lawyer Njiru told the court.
“Other than deleting and rectifying the social media publications we also urge the court to issue an order to Mr. K. Robert to issue a personal official apology to Boniface Mwangi,” the defense team told the court.
However, the State told court that Mr. K. Robert is not the author of the social media posts linking the activists with terrorism.
The court directed the defense lawyers to make a formal application on their request to have court summon the DCI boss, Mohammed Amin, to explain and expound on the said publications.
Mwangi’s lawyers sought to transfer the case from the Kahawa Law Courts to Milimani and also urged the court to bar any arrests of their client until the date set for the mention of the case.
Barred from re-arresting Mwangi
The court has barred the re-arrest of Activist Boniface Mwangi within the court premises or pending his trial.
“Please let the accused person not be re-arrested within the premises of this court or in relation to these proceedings,” Magistrate Kiage ordered.
The DPP wants to charge Activist Boniface Mwangi with being in possession of ammunition without a valid firearm certificate.
In the first count, the DPP state that they found Mwangi with three teargas canisters in his office contrary to Section 26(1) (c) as read with Section 26 (2) (b) of the firearm Act Cap 114 Laws of Kenya.
“On July 19, 2025, at Mageuzi Hub within Nairobi County you were found in possession of noxious substances to wit three teargas canisters without lawful authority,” part of the charge sheet read.
In the second count the vocal activist is to be charged with being in possession of ammunition without a valid firearm certificate contrary to Section 26(1) (c) as read with Section 26 (2) (b) of the firearm Act Cap 114 Laws of Kenya.
The Prosecution cites that on the same day; the DCI officers also found the activist in possession of one round of 7.62 X 51mm blank ammunition without lawful authority.
