A notorious bully, Joseph Lendrix Waswa is accused of threatening Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa by telling him that he would circulate his naked photos in numerous WhatsApp groups.
Waswa, alias SSP Kiprop, appeared before Kibera Senior Principal Magistrate Margate Maroro on Thursday, April 25.
According to the chargesheet, Waswa allegedly gave Barasa an ultimatum to cooperate with him by sending money, or his naked photos would go viral by 10 a.m on various date in March this year.
“It is alleged that on March 19, 2024, at 1356 hrs at an unknown place using WhatsApp account number+2454xxxxxx under a mobile registration name of Al Yusuf, you sent a WhatsApp message saying: “Bure by saa nne (by 10 a.m.) I will have circulated all your naked photos kwa hizo WhatsApp groups” to Fernandes Barasa of WhatsApp account number 254xxxxxxxx information you knew would detrimentally affect him,” read the charge sheet.
The prosecution accuses Waswa of allegedly committing a crime contrary to Section (1) b of the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crime Act.
Through his lawyer Bryan Khaemba, he argued that his client was a respected leader and businessman, saying the governor was the one who framed him for unknown reasons.
“This case is anchored on quicksand and will collapse when it goes for hearing. My client is a very respected leader and businessman. The Kakamega governor has just framed him for unknown reasons,” Khaemba said.
Waswa also faced another count of cyberbullying, where the prosecution accused him of allegedly sending another threatening message.
According to the charge sheet, Waswa, through a mobile number registered in the name of Al Yusuf, sent the following message: “Trust me; I will circulate other photos of you and Mama that you’ve never seen, which are in the gadget on the media plus the naked ones. Bro hutafurahia.” He allegedly sent the message to Barasa on his WhatsApp number, +254xxxxxx, knowing that the message was detrimental to the victim.
It is before court that Waswa had allegedly conspired to extort Barasa to a tune of KSh 1.5 billion.
According to the charge sheet, on March 18, 2024, in an unknown place that Waswa jointly with others not in court, conspired with intent to defraud and demanded KSh 1.5 billion by falsely accusing the Kakamega governor of kidnapping former CS Rashid Echesa.
They allegedly demanded the amount in order to drop the false accusations against him. Additionally, the duo was charged with attempted extortion using threats contrary to Section 300(1)(B) of the penal code.
The particulars of the offence are that on diverse dates between March 18, 2024, and March 26, 2024, at an unknown place, with intent to extort from Barasa a sum of KSh 1.5 billion, Waswa had threatened the governor that he would be accused of a felony concerning the kidnapping of Echesa if their demands were not met.
By Clause Masika