Popular TikToker Maria Wangari Kamunge, also known as Rish Kamunge, has been released on a Ksh.5 million bond after being arrested and charged with fraud-related offenses.
Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina granted her bond on Friday morning, rejecting the prosecution’s request to detain her for an additional seven days to conclude investigations.
Court Ruling
In his ruling, Magistrate Onyina stated that the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient grounds for her continued detention.
“The prosecution has not demonstrated that the suspect’s safety is at risk or provided evidence of multiple complainants filing grievances,” he noted.
The court directed Kamunge to report to the investigating officer regularly until the case is concluded.
Fraud Allegations
Kamunge, operating under the company name Trustpine Verified Agent Ltd, is accused of scamming Kenyans by falsely promising job opportunities abroad. Victims allegedly paid her between Ksh.200,000 and Ksh.300,000 each, only for her to disappear without fulfilling the agreements.
Police reports indicate that between January 1 and March 20, 2025, at least 43 victims sent a total of Ksh.12.9 million to a mobile number registered under Kamunge’s name. When the promised jobs failed to materialize, the victims were unable to reach her.
She was arrested on March 26, 2025, in an office building in Nairobi, after members of the public identified her and handed her over to the police.
Following her arrest, additional victims have come forward with similar complaints, leading the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to request extended custody for further investigations.
The case remains under active investigation.
