Robert Alai arrested after singer Ringtone is left bloodied in road rage incident
Blogger Robert Alai.
Controversial blogger Robert Alai has been arrested in Nairobi and will be arraigned on Monday on assault charges.
This follows an incident where he was allegedly involved in an altercation with gospel singer Alex Apoko, who is commonly known by his stage name Ringtone.
"We have him (Mr Alai) in custody. He's vandalised the musician's car and we will prefer extra charges of malicious damage to property," Kilimani OCPD Andrew Muturi told nation.africa.
The singer said trouble started after the blogger refused to drive on at a junction when the traffic lights turned green.
"I hooted and gestured him to give way and instead, he started following my car along Oliotoktok Road," said Ringtone.
"He then blocked my way and started hitting me with a rungu (club) on the head. He has also damaged my car. I'm heading to a hospital."
Alai was not available for comment. Mr Alai was driving a Subaru Outback while Ringtone was driving a Range Rover.
Gospel singer Alex Apoko alias Ringtone.
In viral videos circulating on social media, the two are seen and heard gesturing and exchanging not-so-pleasant words in the middle of a highway with those nearby taking sides.
Blood dripping
The musician was clad in what appeared to be a blood-soaked t-shirt with blood still dripping on his face.
"Kwanini ananipiga (why has he beaten me)?" Ringtone, clad in blue jeans and a matching sweater, is heard asking repeatedly.
But Mr Alai, who has announced his interest in contesting the Nyando parliamentary seat in next year's elections, is seen standing beside his car with a club still in his hand.
In another video, Ringtone is spotted distributing Sh100 notes to pedestrians and boda boda riders.
Mr Alai has courted trouble with the authorities before.
In March this year, he was arrested and charged with posting false information relating to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He was also accused of contravening the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act 2018, which prohibits the publication of unverified information.
And on June 18, 2019, he was arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations after allegedly posting gory pictures of police officers killed in an Improvised Explosive Device attack in Wajir on his social media pages.
