A woman arrested for tracking President William Ruto’s flights and posting the information online is free after a court closed the case against her.
This follows the closure of the investigation by police, in line with High Court orders that she be freed forthwith.
Halima Ngache had challenged her arrest and detention through lawyer Ian Mutiso at the High Court.
In her application, she attacked the custodial orders issued by Senior Principal Magistrate Teresiah Nyangena for failing to interrogate the constitutional and procedural deficiencies in the police application.
“This court takes judicial notice that the High Court is seized of this matter and has ordered the immediate release of the suspect. I am left with no option but to close the file and free the suspect,” the magistrate ruled.
In their application, police had sought to detain Halima for three days from July 1 to investigate her for offences under the Serious Crimes Act.
Police claimed Ms Ngache was monitoring the president’s flights aboard a private jet and publishing the details on her X account, @sholard_mancity.
Police told the magistrate that her actions posed a danger to the president’s safety.
However, Mutiso dismissed those allegations and apprehensions, arguing that a president’s air travel is not a secret. He urged Justice Alexander Muteti to vacate the detention orders, saying they were illegal and in violation of Sections 362, 364, and 365 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The judge was urged to exercise the superintendence and supervisory jurisdiction vested in the superior court over all subordinate courts and tribunals under Article 165(6) and (7) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. They claimed that the suspect was arrested without a warrant and that her electronic gadgets were seized irregularly.
“The police took away her three mobile phones, a tablet, and a laptop without prior judicial authorisation, thereby violating Article 31(b) and (c) of the Constitution,” Mutiso said.
In a short ruling, Justice Muteti set aside the detention orders and ordered her immediate release. The judge directed that the matter be mentioned on July 9, 2026, for final orders.
Ms Ngache was arrested on June 30, 2026, from her Kizandani residence by DCI officers from the Serious Crimes Unit, then transferred to Nairobi.
She claims her husband, Saddam Indimuli, and the Vocal Africa rights group searched for her in Mombasa in vain. She was presented at the Milimani Law Courts on July 1, 2026, and detained for three days.
