NAIROBI, Kenya – Popular TikToker Maria Wangari Kamunge, also known as Rish Kamunge, has been granted a bond of Ksh.5 million after being arrested and arraigned over allegations of defrauding Kenyans through a job placement scheme.
Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina granted the bond on Friday morning, rejecting the prosecution’s request for an extended seven-day detention to complete investigations.
In his ruling, Magistrate Onyina stated that the prosecution had not presented sufficient evidence to justify continued detention.
“The prosecution has not demonstrated that the suspect’s safety is at risk or provided evidence of multiple complainants filing grievances,” he said.
The magistrate, however, directed Kamunge to report regularly to the investigating officer until the case is concluded.
Kamunge, who operated under the name Trustpine Verified Agent Ltd, is accused of soliciting payments ranging from Ksh.200,000 to Ksh.300,000 from individuals, promising to secure them job opportunities abroad.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Kamunge allegedly collected a total of Ksh.12.9 million from 43 victims between January 1 and March 20, 2025.
The victims claim they were instructed to send money via M-Pesa to a number registered under Kamunge’s name.
When the promised job opportunities failed to materialize, Kamunge reportedly became unreachable.
Kamunge was apprehended on March 26, 2025, in an office building in Nairobi by members of the public, who handed her over to Central Police Station.
Since her arrest, additional victims have come forward with similar complaints, leading the DCI to push for extended custody to accommodate new investigations.
The court’s decision to release Kamunge on bond comes amid rising cases of online fraud, sparking renewed debate on digital safety and consumer protection in Kenya.
