Man behind controversial video on Utumishi fire arrested in Mombasa

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has explained the reasons behind the arrest of David Onyango Elgon, also known as MC Adek Tatu, saying he was taken into custody over alleged inflammatory social media content linked to the Utumishi Girls’ Academy fire tragedy.

According to the agency, the suspect is accused of publishing and circulating online posts that authorities describe as “insensitive and inflammatory” in the aftermath of the incident that left 16 students dead.

The DCI says the content spread widely on social media, triggered public outrage, and had the potential to incite unrest and disrupt public order during a sensitive national moment.

The agency said detectives moved in after receiving intelligence reports that led them to Queen’s Court in Utange, Mombasa County, where the suspect was traced and arrested at his residence.

He is currently in police custody and undergoing processing ahead of arraignment in court.

The DCI maintained that the arrest was necessary to prevent further circulation of material it considers capable of undermining public peace, stressing that freedom of expression must be exercised within the bounds of the law.

“The digital space is not a lawless jungle. While we enjoy the freedom of expression, publishing or distributing inflammatory posts that incite public outcry and divide us as a nation is a crime,” the agency said.

It urged social media users to act responsibly, particularly during periods of national mourning, warning that online activity deemed to threaten cohesion or public safety could attract legal consequences.

The arrest has since sparked online debate over the limits of free expression versus the need to regulate potentially harmful digital content, especially in the wake of national tragedies.

The DCI reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring online spaces and encouraged the public to report content that may threaten peace and security.