Tanzanian Bongo Flava star Sefu Shabani Ramadhan, popularly known as Matonya, has been charged with one count of rape. According to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the 43-year-old is accused of committing the offence on April 7, 2026, at an apartment in Nyali Sub-County, Mombasa County, where he allegedly engaged in a sexual act with an adult woman without consent.
Matonya appeared before Chief Magistrate Robinson Ondiek at the Shanzu Law Courts on Thursday April 9, 2026 and denied the charge, which is brought under Section 3(1) as read with Section 3(3) of the Sexual Offences Act No. 3 of 2006.
The prosecution, led by Principal Prosecution Counsel Keya Ombele, urged the court to impose strict bond terms, noting that the accused is a foreign national with no fixed residence in Kenya and may pose a flight risk.
The court granted him a bond of Ksh 500,000 with one Kenyan surety and ordered him to surrender his Tanzanian passport, barred him from leaving the country without prior court approval, and directed that his details be placed on an immigration alert at all border points.
The case will be mentioned on a date to be set by the court
