MP Moses Kuria acquitted in incitement to violence case

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria (pictured) got a reprieve after the court acquitted him of hate-speech and incitement to violence charges.

Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi sitting at the Milimani Law Courts said the prosecution’s evidence was not enough.

Five witnesses testified in the case.

Kuria was accused of inciting violence against ODM leader Raila Odinga and his wife Ida on September 5, 2017 in Wangige market, Kiambu County.

The state accused Kuria of inciting violence against Raila and his supporters during the campaigns ahead of the October 26, 2017, repeat presidential elections.

 A letter by the DCI’s Serious Crimes Unit to the Communication (SCU) Authority of Kenya on September 11 indicated Kuria called for a manhunt of the 70,000 people in the county who reportedly voted for Raila.

The SCU had sought the CA’s aid in retrieving a video clip which had been aired on a local TV.

In the letter placed before the court as exhibit during Kuria’s trial, the SCU said the lawmaker had complained that about 200,000 registered voters who did not cast their vote and the 70,000 who voted for trival candidate.

Andayi said the video clip that was relied on by the prosecution as the main exhibit did not contain the part where Kuria made the lamentations.

The video played in court only captured Kuria asking the youth whether they would allow someone deny them their share of the meat.

Speaking to the press after his acquittal, Kuria faulted the state for "abuse of the criminal justice system” to pursue political expediency.

“I have spent two years here answering to travesty of justice and abuse of the criminal justice system. I am the only standing prisoner of conscience,” Kuria said.

“This is my third acquittal and I hope we are going to see aend of this kind of persecutions.”

I did not incite anyone, Kuria had told the court.