The Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court has ordered the closure of a miscellaneous application that police had filed to seek more time to investigate social media influencer Halima Ngache, popularly known as “Princess Halima,” over allegations that she operated an X account that published information about President William Ruto’s flight movements.
Chief Magistrate Teresia Nyangena made the order after hearing submissions from both the prosecution and the defence on whether investigators should be granted additional time to complete forensic examination of electronic gadgets seized from Ngache.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had informed the court that forensic analysis of the gadgets was still ongoing. The investigating officer said the court had earlier granted investigators three days to complete investigations, but the forensic examination had only recently begun. He asked the court to extend the period, saying the exercise would be completed before the end of the week and that a report would be ready by the next mention date.
The application was strongly opposed by the defence.
Lawyer Ian Mutiso argued that the miscellaneous proceedings were fundamentally flawed both in law and procedure. He told the court that Ngache had not been informed of her constitutional rights upon arrest and that the arresting officer failed to identify himself. He urged the court not to extend investigations based on what he described as an unlawful process.
Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru also objected to the application, accusing investigators of attempting to sanitize the seizure of Ngachie’s electronic devices. He argued that the investigating officer had introduced an inventory “through the backdoor” in an effort to conceal the manner in which the gadgets were confiscated. According to the defence, the devices were seized in breach of the law and without following the proper legal procedure.
Lawyer Dan Manzo raised concerns over the manner in which Ngache was arrested and transported from Mombasa to Nairobi. He submitted that she was searched in the absence of a female police officer and later transported to Nairobi in the company of three male officers. Maanzo argued that police standing orders require a female suspect to be arrested and searched in the presence of a female officer.
The prosecution maintained that investigations were still active and argued that closing the miscellaneous application would prejudice the ongoing probe.
After considering the submissions from both sides, Chief Magistrate Nyangena declined to extend the proceedings and ordered the miscellaneous application closed.
Halima was arrested on June 30 in Mombasa County, after investigators linked her to an X account alleged to have published information relating to the movements of President Ruto’s flight details.
