Suspect in trouble for allegedly sending offensive SMS to Woman Rep

Migori Woman Representative, Fatuma Zainabu Mohmmed during a past function. [File, Standard]

Police have been given two days to hold a suspect arrested for allegedly sending abusive messages to Migori Woman Representative, Fatuma Zainabu Mohmmed.

Police on Tuesday asked Principal Magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi to grant them 14 days to hold Vincent Oteno Okwanyo.

In the application, Okwanyo was accused of allegedly defaming the Woman Representative through a publication on his Facebook account .

Police through an affidavit of a police officer, Peter Njogu, said that the suspect allegedly committed the offense on different dates between August and September 2024.

He is accused of allegedly sending offensive and abusive messages through SMS to Ms Mohmmed.

Okwanyo is also accused of posting the messages to Migori Republican Council (MRC) social media platform, which was intended to injure the character of the legislator.

He send the messages using his mobile phone number. "On August 22,2024 at around 22.35 hours he send the message in Luo language. He did a screen shot of the SMS and posted it to Migori Republican Council (MRC ) wall," the police affidavit stated.

Njogu went on to state that the accused allegedly threatened to sexually abuse the Woman Representative's mother who lives alone in Nyatike.

"That the respondent indeed believed that the applicant could actualise the threats as the mother stays alone and the respondent has a case of threats to kill contrary to section 223 of the penal code as reported through OB Number 31/11/09/2014 and is actively under investigation at DCI Nyatike therefore if admitted to bail he could interfere or threaten the witnesses," police told the Magistrate.

Through police the complainant has indicated that the texts and threats to her mother have caused them trauma, especially her mother who was shown the message by a resident.

Police sought to hold the suspect for 14 days to obtain an analysis report from the mobile phone and laptops used in committing the offense.

"The respondent also has a brother namely Felix Odhiambo Okwanyo who is the area MCA and is so influential that he could interfere with other witnesses who are willing to come forward to give testimony," police affidavit read in part.

Ekhubi ordered that the suspect be held at Central police station and be presented in court on September 26.