Activist charged with alleged attempt to extort KWS boss Sh1.7 million

Activist Francis Awino Onyango when he appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate Teresia Nyangena in Nairobi, on April 23, 2026. [Nancy Gitonga, Standard]

Activist Francis Awino Onyango has been charged before a Nairobi court with alleged attempt to extort Sh1.7 million from Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General Erastus Kanga, threatening to file a petition for his removal from office over constitutional violations.

Awino, 40, a resident of Karen, appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate Teresia Nyangena on Thursday and denied one count of attempted extortion by threats, contrary to Section 300(1)(a) of the Penal Code.

The charge was preferred by the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) following investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Special Crime Unit (SCU).

According to the charge sheet, the prosecution alleges that on January 14, 2026, at the KWS headquarters in Lang'ata Sub-County, Onyango, with intent to extort, threatened Prof Kanga with the filing of a petition for his removal from office over alleged violations of Chapter Six of the Constitution on leadership and integrity, in a bid to obtain Sh1.7 million from the senior government official.

Prof Kanga is listed as the complainant and key witness in the matter, alongside others to be disclosed during trial. 

After Awino pleaded not guilty to the charge, the prosecution indicated it would not oppose bail application but urged the court to set terms commensurate with the gravity of the matter.

"Your Honour, we have no instructions to oppose bail and bond. However, this is a matter that has substantial public interest, and with that, we pray that the bail and bond terms shall be commensurate to the charges," the prosecutor submitted.

Defence counsel Mr Nthei urged the court to release his client on reasonable bail terms, arguing that Awino is a well-known human rights defender who has filed various petitions in the High Court.

Counsel Nthei further requested the court to order the return of his client's phone, which had been confiscated by investigators during his arrest on Wednesday.

"The information I am getting from the Investigating Officer is that there is no objection to it being released to him,"Nthei told the court in reference to the phone.

Magistrate Nyangena allowed the return of the phone. 

She granted Awino, Sh1 million bond or a cash bail of Sh200,000 with two contact persons.

Prior to his arrest, the activist had in January filed a petition at the Milimani High Court seeking the removal of Prof Kanga as KWS Director General, citing alleged abuse of office and violations of Chapter Six of the Constitution on leadership and integrity.

It is the threatened filing, or use, of that petition as alleged leverage that forms the basis of the current criminal charge, with prosecutors alleging it was weaponised as a threat to extract money from the KWS chief rather than pursued in genuine public interest.

After filing the petition, Awino approached Kanga in a bid to drop the same and sought the money.

The KWS boss later reported the matter to police.

Awino was arrested on April 22, 2026, without a warrant and was arraigned before court on April 23, 2026. 

The magistrate fixed for pre-trial mention on May 7, 2026.