This archive report was first published on 12 July 2019.
Published on July 12, 2019, eleven individuals, including ten women and one man, have been charged with trafficking an obscene publication in Mombasa.
The suspects, Merceline Atieno Onyango, Mariam Hamza, Dolly Kanana, Luareen Achieng, Salma Makeri, Knight Aluoch, Feith Mbesa, Diana Wairimu, Anita Mburu, Christine Mueni, and Enock Elisha, appeared before Shanzu Senior Principal Magistrate Florence Macharia and denied involvement in the offence.
According to the charge sheet, the suspects allegedly conveyed obscene publications, namely the transmission of pornographic video streaming, intended to corrupt morals, on July 10, 2019, at Simba Estate in the posh Nyali area of Mombasa.
Police sought additional time to unravel the syndicate, which involves an international company of Canadian origin, and to investigate the 16 laptops, several cameras, mobile phones, and artificial penis recovered from the house.
State Counsel Shakwila Ayekha stated that the suspects are believed to be working with the international company through a chat website to promote the sexual exploitation of minors.
The prosecutor requested that the suspects be detained for five more days to prevent them from deleting information contained in the machines and the website, as well as to prevent them from communicating with their accomplices who are still at large.
The suspects' advocate, Titus Kirui, opposed the application, claiming that the police had enough time to conclude their investigations and that the charges were not serious.
The magistrate directed that the suspects be detained at Nyali police station until next week pending bail ruling, with the court set to deliver the ruling on July 16, 2019.
