NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 20 — The Director of Public Prosecutions has withdrawn terrorism charges against journalist Laban-Cliff Onserio.
The withdrawal came after the parties entered into a deferred plea agreement.
He is expected to comply with the terms and conditions of the agreement.
Onserio’s lawyer Ishmael Nyaribo on Monday said that Kahawa Court Magistrate Boaz Ombewa had marked the file as closed after the DPP withdrew the charges.
In December 2022, detectives from DCI’s Anti-Terror Police Unit detained Onserio for possession of a stun grenade recovered from his car at the Holy Family Basilica in Nairobi.
The prohibited device was flagged as the journalist accessed the parking lot within the precincts of the church.
Prosecution argued that the suspect threatened members of the public with imminent attack against them while holding the said grenade.
The suspect was apprehended by a multi-agency team which arrived at the scene after receiving information on an imminent terror threat at Holy Family Basilica.
“THAT the Respondent could not give satisfactory reasons why he was in possession of the flash bang grenade neither produce a certificate allowing him to be in possession of the said explosive device,” an Affidavit filed on December 19 read in part.
