NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 24 – Two suspects who were masquerading as journalists were on Friday charged with giving false information and forging Media Council of Kenya accreditation cards.
The two, Thomas Ochieng Owino and Fred Odanga Azelwa, were arraigned at Milimani Law Courts where they were released on a cash bail of Sh50,000 or an alternative bond of Sh100,000.
They denied three counts of forgery, giving false information and uttering a false document contrary to the law.
The two were also charged before Senior Principal Magistrate David Ndungi with presenting a fake document and giving false information to a person employed in the public service as media relations officer at the Senate.
According to the charge sheet the two committed the offense on July 9, within Kenyatta International Conference Centre, where they wanted to access a meeting by Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia.
On a separate date within Nairobi County they are also accused of using forged Media Council card, with an intention to defraud. The matter will be mentioned on October 8.
The Media Council has been cracking down fake journalists who have flooded the industry, operating with fake accreditation cards.
The Council started the exercise after it emerged that individuals posing as journalists extort money from news sources with a promise that they will air or publish their articles.
