Image: X
Journalist Scophine Aoko Otieno, widely known by her social media alias Maverick Aoko Otieno, was arraigned before a Milimani Court on charges of publishing false information on her 'X' (formerly Twitter) account.
Aoko, who is in her 30s and hails from Kisumu County, also faced additional charges of cyber harassment and fraudulent use of electronic data.
The allegations stem from an incident on August 3, when Aoko reportedly published defamatory and threatening content involving individuals known as 'Amber Ray' and 'Jamal.'
According to court documents, Aoko's actions were allegedly intended to be malicious, causing fear, panic, and damaging the reputation, professional career, and livelihood of Beth Wambui Mbuitu.
Appearing before Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi, Aoko was granted release on a cash bail of Ksh 100,000.
However, her phones and laptops, which were confiscated during her arrest, are being held as evidence and will not be released until forensic investigations are complete.
The application for their release will be reconsidered during the trial, which is set to begin with a pre-trial hearing on September 2.
Aoko's social media presence has been marked by controversy, particularly her outspoken tweets targeting prominent politicians.
Before her arrest on August 16, 2024, she had built a reputation as a fearless journalist, having previously worked with major brands such as Standard Group, where she contributed articles to the Standard newspaper.
Aoko's bold reporting has come at a personal cost. In 2016, she narrowly escaped an attempted kidnapping after exposing corruption involving Migori County government employees.
Her dedication to uncovering the truth is perhaps unsurprising, given that she comes from a family of writers—her elder brother, Jectone Oyoo, is also an established writer.
