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A sacked Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer was yesterday charged before a Milimani law court with publishing false information on his Facebook account that Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Francis Omondi Ogolla was funding the anti-government demonstrations called by Azimio leader Raila Odinga.

Corporal Franklin Opiyo Ogonji appeared before Magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi and denied four counts of publication of false information and cybercrime harassment.

Ogonji who was sacked from KDF in 2019 was facing a court martial where he had been charged with stealing dry food ration from the Kenya Air Force Base in Nanyuki.

He was accused of theft of a lorry fully parked with sugar, army biscuits, canned meat, beans, pineapples, jam and minced meat running into hundreds of millions of shillings. Ogonji who holds a master’s degree holder in procurement was charged with publishing false information that General Ogolla was funding the July Azimio Coalition anti-government protests over the high cost of living.

Facebook post

State prosecutor Virginia Kariuki stated that Ogonji published on his Facebook account namely Frank Mac Poyoz words to the effect that “…. Francis Omondi Ogolla is funding Mandamano Usiku wanakutana na Rao (Rail Amollo Odinga) Mchana ako na WSR (President William Samoei Ruto). Waende jela, they are criminals. We will stand with our able President WSR (at night Ogolla meets Rao in the daytime he is with the President. “

The charge stated that Ogonji knew those words to be calculated to cause panic and chaos among Kenyans. He also faced another charge of publishing false information that “Handshake generated Airforce Commanders paid nine DCI Officers Sh200,000 each to kill me but God saves me.”

He allegedly published the said false information on December 9, 2022.

On June 11, Ogonji is accused of harassing General Ogolla by publishing the words “… Ogolla does the honourable thing resign and join Rao on the streets, Shame on you.”

Further, Ogonji denied that on July 24 with the country, he published another false information to the effect that “ Gerald Akoko Ogonji rumours has it you were behind my abduction with Francis Omondi Ogolla, only time will tell if you are above the law.”

The investigation officers from DCI Headquarters have listed General Ogolla as the first prosecution witness in the case against the former KDF officer. Applying to be released on bond, Ogonji claimed that he feared for his life as one of the investigation officers whom he identified in court had threatened to kill him and throw him in River Yala.