Court lifts arrest warrant for blogger Mutinda after presenting himself in court
By Zipporah Ngwatu, March 30, 2026A Nairobi court has lifted the warrant of arrest it had issued against blogger Kitovoto Mutinda last week after he presented himself to court and apologised for missing court.
Appearing before Milimani Principal Magistrate Rose Ndombi on Monday, March 30, 2026, Kitovoto, through his lawyer, apologised for missing court on Monday, March 23, 2026.
Further, he told the court that they had requested the matter to be mentioned for the lifting of the warrant of arrest issued against him.
The court heard that the blogger had also presented medical documents as ordered on January 20, 2026, when his lawyer said that he could not attend the case hearing because he was sick.
“Your honour, on January 20, 2026, the accused person was not present, and the court asked us to supply medical documents. We have the documents, and I have shared the same with prosecution,” Kitovoto’s lawyer told the court.
“Your honour, I apologise for not appearing before this court last week, and we pray for the warrants to be lifted,” the lawyer added.
Notably, he requested to have the cash bail be reinstated alongside lifting the warrant of arrest.
The prosecution did not object to the lifting of the warrants.
“Your honour, we can maintain the mention dates that we had settled before, and the warrant of arrest can be lifted,” the prosecution submitted.
The court lifted the warrants of arrest and reinstated the cash bail that it had forfeited.
“The warrant of arrest has been lifted, cash bail reinstated, and the matter will be mentioned on April 27, 2026, for fixing the hearing date,” Magistrate Ndombi ruled.
Kitovoto is charged with nine different counts of publishing false information against Mwingi Central Member of Parliament (MP) Gideon Mulyungi contrary to Section 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act No. 5 of 2018.
According to the charge sheet, Mutinda is said to have intentionally published false information through a write-up account, Kinuko 96.5 FM, on August 9, 2024, at 1556 hours in the Kitui leaders’ council WhatsApp group with the intent that the data be considered or acted upon as authentic.
Kitovoto has also been charged with publishing the same information on the Kitui Professional Forum WhatsApp group, the proposed Mwingi Municipality WhatsApp group, the Kitui DG platform WhatsApp, the United People of Mwingi WhatsApp group, the Kitui Leaders’ Council WhatsApp group, and the Mwingi Political Forum WhatsApp group.
The matter will be mentioned on April 27, 2026.