Summary
- Tanzanian musician Matonya has been charged with rape in a Mombasa court
- He denied the charge during his appearance at Shanzu Law Courts
- Court granted bond of Sh500,000 with strict conditions, including passport surrender
NAIROBI, Kenya- Tanzanian musician Sefu Shabani Ramadhan, popularly known as Matonya, has been charged with rape following an alleged incident in Mombasa County.
The 43-year-old appeared before Chief Magistrate Robinson Ondiek at the Shanzu Law Courts, where he denied the charge.
How the alleged Nyali incident unfolded
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the court heard that the alleged offence occurred on April 7, 2026.
Prosecutors said the incident took place at an apartment in Nyali Sub-County, within Mombasa County.
The charge was brought under Section 3(1) as read with Section 3(3) of the Sexual Offences Act No. 3 of 2006, with the accused alleged to have unlawfully committed the act against an adult woman.
Prosecution pushes for strict bail citing flight risk
During the proceedings, Principal Prosecution Counsel Keya Ombele urged the court to impose strict bond conditions.
She argued that the accused is a foreign national without a fixed residence in Kenya, raising concerns about the risk of fleeing the court’s jurisdiction.
The prosecution maintained that stringent terms were necessary to ensure he remains available for trial.
Court sets Sh500,000 bond and travel restrictions
The court granted Matonya a bond of Sh500,000 with one Kenyan surety.
He was also ordered to deposit his Tanzanian passport and barred from leaving the country without prior court approval.
Additionally, immigration authorities were directed to place an alert at all border points to prevent any attempt to exit Kenya during the trial.
