The President of the Atheists in Kenya Society, Harrison Nyende Mumia, has been charged with several counts of false publications contrary to Section 22(1) of the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crime Act No. 5 of 2018.
According to the charge sheet, Mumia used his social media handles — that is, his Instagram account and a Facebook pseudo account — to portray the head of state, President William Ruto, lying dead in what looked like a bed.
The prosecution reveals that Mumia, while at an unknown location, made a post on December 30, 2025, disguising himself as one Robinson Kipruto Ngetich, publishing President Ruto’s image and portraying him as dead, while fully aware that he was alive.
“On December 30, 2025, while at an unknown place within the Republic of Kenya, and using a pseudo-Facebook account under the username Robinson Kipruto Ngetich, you knowingly published false information by posting an image of the President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency William Ruto, lying on a bed and falsely portraying him as deceased, information you knew to be false,” part of the charge sheet read.
On the same date, the Atheists President, using the said pseudo-Facebook account, is accused of publishing President Ruto’s image, which showed him lying on a hospital bed while in a critical medical condition — information that he knew was false.
Further, Mumia is said to have, on the same date, through his personal Instagram account under the name Harrison Mumia with the username @harrisonmumia, published the same image of President Ruto lying on a bed and falsely portraying him as deceased — information he knew was false.
On a fourth account, Mumia is accused of publishing the same image on an Instagram account showing Ruto lying on a hospital bed while in critical medical condition — information that he knew was false.
Appearing before Milimani Chief Magistrate Dolphina Alego on Monday, January 5, 2026, Mumia denied the charges, and a plea of not guilty was entered.
His lawyer, Levi Munyeri, urged the court to release his client on bond and bail, stating that he is not a flight risk and that his place of abode is well known.
The court freed Mumia on a bond of Ksh1 million, with an alternative of Ksh500,000 cash bail.
“The accused is granted a bond of Ksh1 million with the same surety, with an alternative of Ksh500,000 cash bail with two contact persons,” Magistrate Alego ruled.
The matter will be mentioned on January 19, 2026.
