There was drama on Tuesday evening after three people were nabbed by police after reports reaching them that they were planning to spoil the reputation of a political leader.
Two photojournalists and a designer linked to the fake nude photos in the feud between Sports CS Rashid Echesa and Kakamega senator Cleophas Malala will be charged today.
Echesa is expected to record a statement with the police over the “smear campaign”. Malala recorded a statement yesterday.
Photojournalists David Ndolo, Stafford Ondego and designer Alex Njue are to present themselves in court to take a plea.
They have denied the allegations against them. Ondego told police Ndolo used his (Ondego’s) laptop in processing the images.
He says Njue was to design the nude photographs. Ondego told police he is a sports photographer and he has never met Malala or CS Rashid. Ndolo takes sports photos and political campaigns.
The three alleged to be Rashid’s hatchet men, were arrested on Tuesday evening and locked up at KICC police station. They were released on police bond on Wednesday.
Police say Rashid has denied any involvement in the fake nude photographs. Malala has maintained the CS has a hand in the matter. One of the investigators said they have forwarded the nude photos for forensic analysis.
Speaking during a press conference at parliament buildings on Wednesday, Malala said Echesa sent his photos to the journalists so that they take off Echesa’s head and fix Malala’s.
Rashid, a self-professed ally of Deputy President William Ruto reportedly paid some three journalists to photoshop Malala’s image to portray him in a compromising situation with a non-existent woman.
The strategy was to flood the Internet with the pornographic pictures in a bid to tarnish Malala’s reputation, especially in Kakamega, where their supremacy battles have played out openly.
The vocal Malala, a close ally of Opposition chief Raila Odinga has been chiding Rashid, a former ODM national youth leader, as a Standard 7 drop-out who does not understand his work as CS.
Malala cited that phones that were being used by the arrested journalists to communicate with the sports CS were confiscated and they would not hand them to police until they get an expert to get them a copy.
He argued that the exhibit may be tempered with if handed over to the police.
The phones had the conversation text messages between Echesa and the journalists, with due agreements they met before the photoshop was done.
Malala has appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to stop CS Echesa from going on with his duties since he doesn’t hold any integrity measures as a public servant.
He argued that Echesa violates the Kenyan Constitution and has no any right to hold a public office.