A well-known TikTok personality and street activist, Joseph Gitonga, was on Thursday arraigned before the Milimani Law Courts over allegations of attempting to extort Ksh 500,000 from a media service provider affiliated with Co-operative Bank.
Appearing before Senior Principal Magistrate Sharon Ouko, Gitonga was charged with one count of demanding property by menace. He was jointly charged with another individual who did not appear in court.
According to the charge sheet, between July 20 and July 25 in Nairobi County, Gitonga together with the unnamed suspect allegedly demanded Ksh 500,000 from Amos Hunja Mwangi with the intent to steal.
Represented by lawyers Joshua Nyamori and Black Omanga, the defense argued that Gitonga had fully cooperated with investigators and was not a flight risk. They also pleaded for lenient bail terms, citing his financial struggles.
“My client is a poor man whose wife abandoned him due to his financial situation,” said Omanga, appealing to the court for sympathy in light of Gitonga’s personal hardships.
Gitonga, who has a sizable online following, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
However, State Counsel Rama Mwanaidi, representing the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), requested the court to issue a gag order against Gitonga. She claimed the accused had been posting information related to the ongoing case on social media.
“The accused has been sharing content about this case online, including commentary that could influence public perception. We request the court to bar him from posting, commenting, or publishing anything directly or indirectly related to the matter,” Mwanaidi submitted.
Magistrate Ouko granted the gag order, emphasizing the importance of preserving the integrity of the court process and protecting the complainant’s rights.
“A case before a court should not be litigated in the public arena. To protect the dignity of the complainant and ensure a fair trial, a gag order is hereby issued barring the accused from making any statements or publications regarding this case on any platform,” the magistrate ruled.
Gitonga was released on a cash bail of Ksh 50,000 or an alternative bond of Ksh 100,000, with strict instructions not to comment on the case publicly.
