Titus Wekesa Sifuna, the X (formerly Twitter) user accused of impersonating President William Ruto, has been released on a cash bail of Ksh.100,000 or an alternative bond of Ksh.1 million. The ruling was made at the Milimani Law Courts, where Sifuna was presented following his arrest over controversial social media activity.
According to court documents, Sifuna operated an X account under the handle @5thethief and the username “I must go,” where he allegedly posted derogatory remarks targeting President Ruto and his family. The prosecution told the court that these posts had provoked widespread public outrage and posed a potential threat to national peace and cohesion.
“The content of the X account poses a serious threat to the country’s reputation, as the President is a symbol of national unity and should be respected and honoured by all,” the prosecution argued. It was also revealed that Sifuna had altered the account’s profile to display an image resembling that of President Ruto, a move the authorities claim misled the public and violated laws on impersonation and online conduct.
The prosecution further claimed that the messages and images shared on the account amounted to hate speech and could potentially incite ethnic divisions among Kenyans. In light of these allegations, the State had requested that the suspect be detained for seven more days to allow police to conclude investigations.
However, the court ruled in favour of releasing Sifuna on bail, noting the need to balance the State’s concerns with the suspect’s constitutional rights. The case highlights the growing tension between freedom of expression and the regulation of online content in Kenya.
As digital platforms continue to shape political discourse, the incident has sparked debate on responsible social media use and the limits of satire and criticism online. Meanwhile, investigations into Sifuna’s posts and account activities are ongoing as authorities determine whether additional charges will be brought forward.
