NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 — The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) told the court on Wednesday a man arrested for operating an unlicensed radio station in Kisumu used aeronautical service frequencies reserved for planes.
CA, through a witness, said Max FM endangered aviation safety and could have interfered with communication between planes and airport towers.
The authority said Austin John had applied for a frequency but his request was unsuccessful since “there was no available frequency in Kisumu area at the time.”
“Austin John was operating within the aeronautical service frequencies, which in practice was not allowed because it interfered with the aeronautical frequency that aids communication between pilots and the control tower, putting passengers and other airspace users’ lives in danger,” the expert witnessed presented by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said.
John was first arraigned in court on July 4 and charged with four counts of establishing a radio station without a valid licence, providing radio broadcasting services without a valid licence and two other counts.
He denied the charges before Kisumu Magistrates Court with the court admitting him to Sh100,000 bond.
The matter is slated for further hearing on October 24.
