DCI Arrests Woman Accused of Tracking President William Ruto’s Flight Movements on X
A woman accused of managing an X account that allegedly monitored and shared President William Ruto’s flight movements has been arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The suspect, identified as Halima Ngache, who is also known online as “Princess Halima,” was arrested in Mombasa during what investigators described as an intelligence-led operation. After her arrest, she was transferred to Nairobi, where detectives obtained court orders allowing them to continue holding her while investigations into the matter continue.
The case has attracted significant public attention because it involves allegations that a social media account published detailed information about the president’s travel plans and aircraft movements, raising concerns over national security.
Why Did the DCI Arrest Halima Ngache?
According to investigators, the arrest followed intelligence reports linking Ngache to an X account that allegedly shared sensitive information regarding President William Ruto’s official travel.
The DCI claims the account regularly posted updates about the president’s international trips, including details of his flight routes, destinations, and the registration numbers of aircraft reportedly used during official visits. Detectives believe the information published on the platform could pose a security risk to the Head of State.
Court documents indicate that Ngache is being investigated for alleged cyber harassment under Section 27(1) of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.
Investigators from the DCI’s Serious Crimes Unit informed the Milimani Law Courts that they received intelligence on June 29 concerning a verified X account identified as @sholard_mancity. The account allegedly published regular updates tracking the president’s movements across different countries.
Alleged Posts About Ruto’s International Trips
In an affidavit presented before the court, Corporal Edwin Metto stated that one of the posts claimed President Ruto travelled from Belgium to Norway aboard a chartered private jet on June 8.
The same account allegedly later reported that the president continued his journey from Norway to Finland using the same aircraft.
Investigators further claimed that another post published on June 25 alleged that President Ruto had departed Kenya and was expected to board another private jet while in Madagascar.
According to detectives, the repeated publication of such information raised concerns because it appeared to closely monitor the president’s official movements.
DCI Says Motive Is Still Unknown
Although investigators believe the account was intentionally tracking the president’s travel, they told the court that they have not yet established the motive behind the alleged activity.
In the affidavit, detectives argued that publishing detailed travel information about the Head of State created anxiety regarding both the president’s safety and the country’s overall security.
The affidavit stated that investigators are still trying to determine why the information was being shared and whether the account’s activities were intended to threaten or interfere with the security of the president.
Electronic Devices Seized During the Arrest
During the operation in Mombasa, detectives confiscated several electronic devices that they believe may contain important evidence.
The items recovered include:
- Two mobile phones
- A Tecno tablet
- A Dell laptop
- Three flash drives
The DCI informed the court that all the devices will undergo forensic examination by cybercrime experts. Investigators hope the analysis will reveal whether the gadgets were used to operate the disputed X account and whether other individuals may have been involved.
Detectives also plan to retrieve digital records and seek additional information from other agencies as part of the ongoing investigation.
X Account Remained Active After the Arrest
One of the issues that has drawn public interest is that the X account allegedly continued posting updates even after Ngache had already been arrested.
According to investigators, the account remained active while she was being transported from Mombasa to Nairobi. This development led detectives to suspect that more than one individual could have access to the account or that it might be managed by multiple administrators.
The continued activity has become an important part of the investigation as authorities try to establish who else may have been involved in operating the account.
Court Grants Detectives More Time
Following the arrest, prosecutors requested permission to continue holding Ngache for seven days, arguing that forensic examination of the seized electronic devices had not yet been completed.
They also told the court that additional requests for information from other institutions were still pending and that investigators needed more time to complete the inquiry.
However, Senior Principal Magistrate Theresa Nyangena declined the request for seven days.
Instead, the magistrate granted detectives three days to continue detaining the suspect while they complete the remaining investigations.
The court ruled that the shorter detention period would provide sufficient time for investigators to finalize their inquiries before the case returns for further directions on Monday, July 6.
Halima Denies Operating the Account Alone
While appearing before the court, Ngache maintained that although investigators had seized all her electronic devices, the X account under investigation was still active.
She argued that the continued activity suggested another individual was responsible for operating the account after her arrest.
A review of the account following her detention showed that new posts had indeed continued appearing.
One of the posts addressed followers who had noticed a period of silence after Ngache’s disappearance. The message stated that the account administrators could not continue posting as usual while Halima was missing and being publicly linked to the investigation.
The statement also thanked supporters who helped circulate information about her disappearance and expressed appreciation to those who offered assistance and concern during the period she could not be reached.
Investigations Continue
The DCI says investigations are still ongoing as forensic experts examine the recovered devices and attempt to determine who was responsible for the posts published on the X account.
Detectives are also working to establish whether additional individuals had access to the account and whether any criminal offences were committed under Kenya’s cybercrime laws.
The matter is expected to return to court after investigators complete the initial phase of their inquiries, where further directions on the case will be issued.
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