By Brian
Rose Njeri, the software developer behind a digital platform that enabled Kenyans to submit feedback on the 2025 Finance Bill, has been released on a Ksh 100,000 personal bond as the court considers whether she will stand trial on cybercrime charges.
The ruling was delivered Tuesday by Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo, who scheduled a decision for June 20 to determine whether the case will proceed to trial. Njeri, who has not yet taken a plea, faces accusations of unauthorized interference with computer systems.
Authorities allege that Njeri's platform generated mass emails directed to the Finance Committee of the National Assembly, disrupting the normal operations of parliamentary systems. Investigators claim the platform specifically targeted the official email address of the Clerk of the National Assembly, resulting in operational delays and email overload.
However, Njeri’s defense team, led by former Chief Justice David Maraga, has dismissed the allegations as legally unfounded and unconstitutional. They argue that the email address in question was designated for public submissions and that Njeri was merely facilitating civic engagement.
“Rose Njeri acted within her constitutional rights to freedom of expression and public participation,” said Maraga outside the courtroom. “This case is not about cybercrime—it is about silencing voices that are trying to engage with the democratic process.”
The defense has also filed motions seeking the immediate return of Njeri’s confiscated electronic devices and for any data obtained from them to be ruled inadmissible in court, citing unlawful seizure and privacy violations.
Njeri was arrested at her home on Friday and detained at Pangani Police Station before appearing in court. Her arrest has sparked widespread public support, with civil society organizations and digital rights advocates condemning the charges as an attack on freedom of speech and civic technology.
As the nation continues to debate the implications of the Finance Bill, Njeri’s case is now seen as a landmark test of how far the government is willing to go in regulating online activism and civic innovation.
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