Blogger Edgar Obare has reacted to reports that a warrant of arrest has been issued against him for skipping court hearings twice in case against YouTuber Natalie Tewa.
On Thursday, reports surfaced online stating that a Kiambu Court had issued a warrant of arrest against the blogger, something he says he is not aware of. The warrant was issued by Resident Magistrate Rita Orora after the blogger failed to show up in Court (Virtual) on August 4th, 2021.
In a number of posts- via his Insta-stories Obare said that neither his lawyer nor him has the knowledge of the arrest warrant in question. Adding that he also saw the information on social media like other people.
“Also seeing it now…even my lawyer doesn’t know about it” said Obare.
The blogger is out on cash bail of a Sh.100, 000 after denying that he used his social media accounts to share Natalie Wanjiru Githinji aka Natalie Tewa’s personal data without her consent.
The hearing for the case between Obare and Tewa had been scheduled for August 4th Virtual but the he failed to show up, forcing prosecutor Stella Oyagi to request the Court to issue a warrant of arrest.
Obare had also been scheduled to appear in Court on March 31 2021, before he failed to do so, with his lawyer Titus Munene explaining that his client was away in Kisumu and could not travel due to Covid-19 restrictions.
On August 3, 2020 Obare was presented at the Kiambu Law Courts days after being arrested in Kisumu.
The blogger was charged with unlawfully publishing private and personal details of a renowned YouTuber Natalie Tewa under Section 72 of the Data Protection Act.
"On diverse dates between July 9 and July 13, 2020 at an unknown place, within the Republic of Kenya, using your social media accounts , domain name www.bnn.ke and verified Instagram account @edgarobare, unlawfully disclosed to your online followers personal data to wit visa belonging to one Natalie Wanjiru Githinji without her consent," the charge sheet read.
He denied the charges and was later released on a Sh100K cash bail. Should he be found guilty of the charges against him, Mr Obare will be liable to a fine of at least Sh3 million or to an imprisonment term of not more than 10 years or both.