Journalist Scophine Aoko Otieno, widely known by her social media alias Maverick Aoko Otieno, has been arraigned in a Milimani court for allegedly publishing false information on her “X” account (formerly Twitter).
Aoko, a 30-year-old from Kisumu County, was also charged with cyber harassment and fraudulent use of electronic data.
The allegations stem from an incident on August 3, when Aoko allegedly posted defamatory and threatening content involving people named “Amber Ray” and “Jamal.”
According to court documents, Aoko’s actions were allegedly malicious in nature and intended to cause fear and panic and to harm Beth Wambui Mbuitu’s reputation, professional career and livelihood.
Upon his appearance before Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi, Aoko was released on bail of Ksh 100,000.
However, their phones and laptops, which were confiscated during their arrest, will be retained as evidence and will not be released until forensic investigations are completed.
The request for release will be decided anew in the proceedings. The proceedings are scheduled to begin on September 2 with a pre-trial hearing.
Aoko’s social media presence has been marked by controversy, particularly her outspoken tweets against prominent politicians.
Before her arrest on August 16, 2024, she had built a reputation as a fearless journalist, having previously worked with major brands such as the Standard Group, where she wrote articles for the standard Newspaper.
Aoko’s courageous reporting has cost her dearly personally. In 2016, she narrowly escaped being kidnapped after exposing corruption among government officials in Migori County.
Her commitment to uncovering the truth is hardly surprising considering that she comes from a family of writers – her older brother, Jectone Oyoo, is also an established writer.
