A man has been charged with cyber harassment for allegedly sending a threatening message to a magistrate over a case she was handling, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has announced.
Francis Kamau Karanja was arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts, where prosecutors told the court that he allegedly sent the message to the magistrate on September 28, 2026, at around 7pm using his mobile phone.
According to the ODPP, Karanja was arrested after the magistrate reported the alleged threat at Kibera Police Station, prompting investigations into the incident.
Karanja appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Irene Thamara, where he denied the cyber harassment charge.
The case comes amid concerns over the protection of judicial officers from threats and intimidation linked to matters before the courts. Threatening judicial officers over cases they are handling raises questions about the safety of court personnel and the independence of judicial proceedings.
The court is scheduled to rule on Karanja’s bail application on October 9, 2026, when the matter is expected to come up for further directions.
Karanja remains an accused person, and the allegations against him have yet to be tested in court.