Senator Samson Cherargei Arrested over Hate Speech, Freed on Sh300,000 Cash Bail

Detectives from Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Monday arrested Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei over alleged hate speech.

Senator Cherargei is accused of making hateful utterances at Kilibwoni Primary School in Nandi on August 17th, 2019, according to DCI. He was charged with ethnic contempt contrary to Section 62 (1) of the National Cohesion and Integration Act as well as incitement to violence contrary to Section 96 (a) of the Penal Code.

Appearing before Milimani Law Courts Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi, Cherargei pleaded not guilty to the two charges and was released on a cash bail of Sh300,000 or an alternative bond of Sh500,000. The matter will be heard on December 17th.

Cherargei was in August summoned by DCI to record a statement over alleged inflammatory remarks he uttered at the funeral of late teacher Dominic Kiptoo Choge. He was arrested and later released on a personal bond after being interrogated at DCI offices in Kisumu.

Senator Cherargei was quoted saying that Deputy President William Ruto’s supporters were “marking and profiling” those opposed to his 2022 presidential bid and would “deal with” them when the time comes.