Milimani Magistrates’ Court has terminated the case against author Webster Ochora after Charlene failed to appear in court.

In a ruling delivered on November 24, 2025 Magistrate Robinson Ondieki allowed DPP’s application to withdraw the matter after parties filed a consent of settlement in court

“Having considered the matter and the approval of the DPP this matter is officially terminated,” ruled the magistrate 

The magistrate in his ruling said that section 176 of the Civil Procedure Code applied in the withdrawal. 

“Having conducted a perusal of the consent agreement by the prosecutor, what comes out in context is which section of law should be used in withdrawal.

“Section 176 of the Civil Procedure Code allows the court to promote reconciliation, encourage, and facilitate settlement of the case,” said the magistrate.

The court further said that the case between the parties is private in nature.

“The court has perused the charge sheet and found it constitutes a charge which is of a personal or private nature,” said Ondieki.

Earlier this month Charlene Ruto had requested the court to allow the withdrawal of a case against Webster Ochora without requiring her personal attendance.

Through her lawyer, Kevin Kachapin, Ms. Ruto informed the court that he had written to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)seeking to excuse his client from physically appearing in court due to intense media attention and public scrutiny surrounding the matter.

The prosecution, however, told the court that the DPP’s instructions were to have the case withdrawn under Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which requires the complainant to appear in person before the court to formally withdraw the matter.

In response, Magistrate Robinson Ondieki noted that the DPP has mechanisms that allow for the withdrawal of a case without the complainant’s attendance.

“The DPP has a tool to withdraw this matter without the attendance of the complainant. We cannot force the complainant to come to court,” said the magistrate.

In the letter Charlene claims that the case has attracted considerable media attention and public scrutiny and that Her absence will help avoid unnecessary public spectacle while ensuring that the proceedings remain focused on their legal purpose.

In the case, Webster Ochora had been charged with impersonation under Section 382(1) of the Penal Code.

According to the charge sheet, he allegedly posed as President Ruto’s daughter, Charlene Ruto, and, using the name Zawadi Publishers, authored and circulated a book titled “Beyond the Name: Charlene Ruto and the Youth Uprising” between an unknown date and May 22, 2025