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What is this person’s legal position?

What is Wangari Maathai’s legal position?

Wangari Maathai

Kenyan environmentalist, scientist and politician who founded the Green Belt Movement and received the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.

Most recent filing 4 Mar 2025Last confirmed 26 Oct 202615 sources

  1. Question

    What is Wangari Maathai’s legal position?

  2. Present position

    ChargedPresent position

    Charged on 14 January 1992 and released on bail; the last contemporaneous record found (Amnesty International, 4 March 1993) describes the case as still pending. No trial or conviction is documented, and the final disposal of the charge is not confirmed in the sources read.

  3. Detail

    1992 arrest and charge of publishing a false rumour

    Charged

    Charged on 14 January 1992 and released on bail; the last contemporaneous record found (Amnesty International, 4 March 1993) describes the case as still pending. No trial or conviction is documented, and the final disposal of the charge is not confirmed in the sources read.1 2 3 4

    Authority
    Kenya Police / Kenyan courts (Nairobi)
    Status as of
    4 Mar 1993
    History
    1. 10 Jan 1992Took part in a FORD press conference at which members said they had evidence the government intended to hand power to the army.
    2. 13 Jan 1992Arrested at her home in Nairobi; held at Lang'ata Police Station.
    3. 14 Jan 1992Charged under section 66(1) and (2) of the Penal Code with publishing a false rumour likely to cause fear and alarm to the public; released on bail of KSh 100,000 the same day.
    4. 10 Mar 1992Amnesty International reported that those charged were free on bail and no trial date had been set.
    5. 4 Mar 1993Amnesty International recorded the 1992 case as still pending.

  4. Authorities cited

    1. SecondaryFurther information on UA 19/92 - Kenya: Professor Wangari Maathai (AFR 32/02/92)Amnesty International · 20 Jan 1992
    2. SecondaryUA 74/92 - Ill-treatment of peaceful demonstrators (AFR 32/04/92)Amnesty International · 5 Mar 1992
    3. SecondaryUA 58/93 - Kenya: Wangari Maathai - Fear for safety (AFR 32/07/93)Amnesty International · 4 Mar 1993
    4. SecondaryFurther information on UA 19/92 - Kenya (AFR 32/05/92)Amnesty International · 10 Mar 1992

See also: Public Figure Record Verified

Revision note

26 Oct 2026 Published after review.

Something wrong? Tell the editors, with a source. Identifier wangari-maathai.