Charlene Ruto has officially withdrawn a criminal case against author Webster Ochora Elijah, who had been accused of impersonating her by authoring and distributing a book using her name and identity. The case was settled out of court following a mutual reconciliation agreement presented before Milimani Magistrate Robinson Ondieki on Monday.
The withdrawal was made under Section 176 of the Criminal Procedure Code and Article 159(2)(c) of the Constitution, which promote alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
Key Terms of the Agreement
Under the agreement, the accused offered a formal apology, which Charlene Ruto accepted. However, the resolution imposes strict conditions on the author to prevent recurrence or further misuse of her identity.
The terms include:
- A total publishing ban: Ochora is prohibited from publishing, distributing, or disseminating the disputed book or any material referencing the events in question.
- No transfer of rights: He may not assign rights to the book for publication, production, or adaptation to any third party.
- Legal consequences for breach: Any violation of the agreement allows Ruto to pursue civil legal action, and the case withdrawal cannot be used as a defence.
“The accused shall not publish, distribute, disseminate, or cause to be published… any material containing content referring to or purporting to narrate in the first person the events forming the subject matter of this case,” reads the agreement in part.
Case Officially Withdrawn
The case, registered as MCCR No. 314 of 2025, has now been formally marked as withdrawn, with the court scheduling a mention on October 6, 2025, for further directions, if necessary.
This resolution highlights the increasing reliance on restorative justice and non-litigious conflict resolution in Kenya’s legal system, especially in matters involving public figures and potential reputational harm.
