This archive report was first published on 23 September 2019.
On September 23, 2019, a matatu conductor in Kenya narrowly escaped a jail term after using a selfie as evidence to defend himself in court.
John Kinuthia, the conductor, was arrested along Waiyaki Way and taken to Kabete police station before being arraigned in Kibera Law Courts. He was charged alongside others for violating traffic rules.
During the hearing, Kinuthia pleaded not guilty and argued that the police officer had misunderstood the situation. He produced a photo of himself in his full uniform, taken as a selfie with the driver's phone, to support his claim.
Senior principal magistrate Esther Boke ruled in Kinuthia's favor, stating that the prosecution had failed to prove that the accused was not wearing his uniform at the time of the arrest.
