A man is to stand trial for a second time for sending abusive text messages, as the Kenyan authorities continue to crack down on the illegal use of technology networks.
Richard Parsinei Liasoi, 30, has been released on bail and the case will be heard in June.
A month ago Liasoi was fined Sh10,000 by a court in Nanyuki, in central Kenya, for sending an offensive text message to Merrily Daniel ole Kanjori in February, alleging that Kanjori’s wife was a prostitute.
He has now been rearrested and charged on a similar count, though he has pleaded not guilty. The most recent arrest shows an increasing will by Kenyan law enforcers to crack down on offensive and defamatory activity across telecom and digital networks, coming just two months after another man was arrested for calling a politician a dog on Facebook.
Liasoi was initially fined by Chief Magistrate Jesse Nyaga on 20 April for sending offensive messages.
Liasoi also made statements such as “The wife will get your head in the black paper bag”, “Even if I shut up my boys will make sure you are dead” and “Did you forget my father is a famous witch doctor”.
At the time he pleaded guilty, saying in mitigation that he was drunk at the time of sending. He paid the fine rather than face three months imprisonment.
Now, however, he has been arraigned on court for sending another offensive message to Kanjori, an offense to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Nanyuki Senior Resident Magistrate Caroline Obara released Liasoi on cash bail of Sh30,000, with the case now set to be heard on 18 June. He is charged with improper use of a licensed telecommunications system.
In March, 21-year-old David Ndung’u was arrested for referring to Assistant Minister for Local Government Lewis Nguyai as a dog on the politician’s Facebook page, and accused of defamation under the Kenyan penal code.
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