Charlene Ruto forgives Author Ochora, withdraws criminal charges

Founder and CEO of the Young People's Network International Charlene Ruto during a Meeting on Dissemination of the African Union Agenda 2063 to Non-State Actors on September 9, 2025. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]

President William Ruto's daughter, Charlene, has withdrawn a criminal case she had filed against author Webster Ochora Elijah after the two reached an out-of-court settlement anchored on an apology and strict publishing restrictions.

According to a consent filed before Milimani Magistrate Robinson Ondieki, Ochora tendered a formal apology, which Charlene accepted, paving the way for the termination of the case.

However, Charlene agreed to have the case dropped on condition that the writer is prohibited from publishing, distributing, or disseminating his book, or any related material, that references her name or events linked to the dispute.

"The accused shall not publish, distribute, disseminate, or cause to be published in any form or medium the book or any material referring to the events that formed the subject matter of this case," reads part of the out-of-court consent agreement.

Further, Ochora,25, has been barred from assigning or transferring rights to the disputed book for purposes of publication, production, or adaptation.

The agreement also reveals a warn should he breaches these terms, Ruto will be at liberty to pursue civil remedies, with the withdrawal of the criminal case offering no defense.

Consequently, the court accepted the agreement, and the DPP did not oppose the same, allowing the case to be terminated.

"With the apology accepted and the settlement in place, the case, registered as MCCR No. 314 of 2025, is here marked as withdrawn," the magistrate stated

The court has scheduled a mention on October 6, 2025, to give further directions on whether Ochora has honoured the agreement.

The decision to terminate the case comes after Charlene, whom the DPP had listed as the main complainant, failed to appear in court on July 22, 2025, to testify, and the court was informed that she is willing to forgive the writer, whose lawyers, led by Evan Ondieki, did not oppose.

It is said that the president's daughter has not complained about the contents of the book, just that it was written without her permission.

In the case, Ochora had been charged with impersonation under Section 382(1) of the Penal Code.

According to the charge sheet, he allegedly posed as Ruto's daughter, Charlene Ruto, and, using the name Zawadi Publishers, authored and circulated a book titled Beyond the Name: Charlene Ruto and the Youth Uprising between an unknown date and May 22, 2025.

The self-published book, by a little-known author, aged 25 and others, had not been widely distributed before he was arrested.