Man Accused of Impersonating Charlene Ruto, Writing Book On Her Freed on KSh50k Bail

Webstar Ochora Elijah, a 25-year-old graduate from Kisii University, has been released on bail after being charged with impersonating Charlene Ruto by publishing a book about her without her consent. The book, titled Beyond the Name: Charlene Ruto and the Youth Uprising, was allegedly released under the trade name Zawadi Publishers.

Ochora appeared before the Milimani Law Courts on Tuesday, June 3, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge of personation, contrary to Section 382(1) of the Penal Code. He was granted a bond of KSh100,000 or an alternative cash bail of KSh50,000. The case is scheduled for mention on June 17, 2025.

According to the charge sheet, Ochora is accused of falsely presenting himself as Charlene Ruto and publishing the aforementioned book. He was arrested on Monday, May 30, without a warrant and detained at Muthaiga Police Station. Investigations are being conducted by the Special Crimes Unit under the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), including forensic analysis of Ochora’s seized laptop and digital devices to determine the full scope of his alleged activities.

Senior Counsel Evans Ondieki, who visited Ochora during his detention, dismissed the charges as an overreach by the state. He framed the issue as one of free expression and accused law enforcement of violating Ochora’s constitutional rights. Kennedy Mong’are, representing Ochora’s family, called the arrest premature and lacking in legal merit, noting that Ochora had written similar books on other public figures without incident.