Court orders release of woman held over posts tracking Ruto's flight movements

The High Court has ordered the release of Halima Ngache, a woman accused of operating an X account that allegedly published information about President William Ruto's flight movements. Justice Alexander Muteti directed that Ngache, who is also known online as "Princess Halima", be freed from police custody by the close of business on Friday, 5:00 pm, pending further directions from the court. The judge scheduled the matter for mention on Monday, when he is expected to issue a ruling on the application before the court. During the proceedings, the court ordered that the suspect should not remain in custody as it considers the legal issues raised in the case. Ngache was arrested on June 30 in Bamburi, Mombasa County, during what the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) described as an intelligence-led operation conducted by officers from its Serious Crimes Unit. According to investigators, preliminary inquiries linked her to an X account alleged to have shared information concerning the movements of protected persons, including President William Ruto. The DCI subsequently presented her before the Milimani Law Courts, where it obtained orders allowing detectives to detain her for three days to complete investigations. In an affidavit filed before the court, investigators claimed the account published several posts detailing the President's reported travel itinerary, including allegations that he flew from Belgium to Norway aboard a chartered private jet on June 8, travelled from Norway to Finland on June 10, and later departed Kenya with plans to board another private jet in Madagascar on June 25. The investigating officer told the court that the intention behind the posts had not been established, but argued that their publication had raised security concerns. "...the motive of the alleged tracking remains unknown, and the information published by the said user has caused apprehension on the person of the Head of State as well as Kenyan citizens," the affidavit filed by the DCI states. The prosecution had maintained that investigators required additional time to conclude forensic examinations and establish the extent of the suspect's involvement with the social media account. The case has drawn public attention amid increasing scrutiny over online activity involving senior government officials and the balance between national security concerns and constitutional protections on freedom of expression. The High Court is expected to determine the issues raised in the application when the matter comes up on Monday.