Milimani Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego is set to rule on July 7 whether the prosecution will be granted more time to present additional witnesses in the case against controversial blogger Maverick Aoko or be compelled to close its case for lack of evidence.
The decision follows the prosecution’s failure to call all its witnesses during the three-day hearing window allocated by the court. Only one witness, Sergeant Norah Shindi, testified, prompting the defence to apply for immediate closure of the case.
Sergeant Shindi told the court she was assigned to arrest Aoko along Gatanga Road alongside a Chief Inspector and later joined by officers from the Intelligence Unit. She testified that a court order obtained through a miscellaneous application had authorised a search of Aoko’s residence.
During the operation, officers recovered several electronic items including a Huawei phone with a broken screen, a laptop, a flash disk, and a Dell laptop charger.
“At the point of arrest, we found the items in her house,” Shindi stated.
However, during cross-examination, the sergeant admitted she could not confirm whether the searched house actually belonged to Aoko, nor whether the recovered items were hers.
“I am not the investigating officer in this matter,” she said, further admitting that she had not been briefed on the exact reason for Aoko’s arrest but assumed it was linked to cybercrime.
She also acknowledged that the search warrant did not contain the accused’s address and that the directions to the premises had been provided by another officer who is not listed as a witness in the case.
Sergeant Shindi concluded her testimony by confirming that all recovered items were handed over to the investigating officer.
With no further witnesses called by the prosecution, Magistrate Alego said she would issue a ruling on July 7, determining whether the prosecution’s case will proceed or be terminated as sought by the defence.
