Bonface Mwangi Sentenced to Prison

The Machakos High Court has sentenced Activist Boniface Mwangi to two months in prison or pay a fine of Ksh300,000 for contempt of court.

Mwangi had been sued by Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua for defamation after the activist claimed that the former Machakos Governor bombed his house in October 2021.

”I have been found guilty of contempt of court. Sentenced to two months in prison or pay a fine of Ksh 300,000,” the activist remarked in a statement.

He further revealed that the court had extended a gag order that barred him from mentioning who had allegedly bombed their home to January 2024.

”l can no longer post who bombed our home. Water is wet, the pope is Catholic, and everyone knows who bombed our home,” the activist said in a statement.

Boniface Mwangi had earlier posted photos of himself at the Machakos High Court in company with Azimio Principal Martha Karua, Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, and other civil societies.

The court had found Boniface Mwangi guilty of contempt of court on October 16, 2023, after a suit by a lawyer J. Harrison Kinyanjui, and Advocates dated January 11.

“Having briefly read the ruling, the court has found you in contempt of court and directed that you appear in person to show cause why you should not be sent to civil jail,” a note was sent to Mwangi’s lawyer

On behalf of CS Mutua, they averred that the activist had ignored summons twice and as such was guilty of contempt of court.

“Mwangi disobeyed the order on 6th and 9th January 2022 by publishing on his Twitter account content against Governor Mutua,” Kinyajui told the court.

The case emanated from a defamation case filed by CS Mutua that accused Boniface Mwangi of publishing defamatory content on his social media platforms about who had allegedly bombed his home.

The activist however allegations of publishing any statements and consequently failed to appear in court and refused to apologise.

”I submitted evidence to the DCI and they shared it with the suspects. I’m ready to go to jail because l will never apologize for saying the truth. Truth isn’t a crime!” Mwangi stated on his social media pages on October 24.

The activist will have to spend two months behind bars or choose an alternative of a fine of Ksh 300,000.