Tanzanian Musician Charged With Rape

Tanzanian Musician Sefu Shabani Ramadhan, popularly known as Matonya, has been charged with one count of rape.

In a statement on Friday, April 10, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said Matonya was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Robinson Ondiek at the Shanzu Law Courts.

The 43-year-old Tanzanian musician, however, denied the rape charge.

“The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has charged Tanzanian musician Sefu Shabani Ramadhan, popularly known as Matonya, with one count of rape.

“Appearing before Chief Magistrate Robinson Ondiek at the Shanzu Law Court, the 43-year-old musician denied the charge brought under Section 3(1) as read with Section 3(3) of the Sexual Offences Act No. 3 of 2006,” read the statement in part.

According to the ODPP, the alleged offence occurred on April 7 2026, at an apartment in Nyali Sub-County, Mombasa County.

The prosecution told the court that the musician unlawfully committed the act against an adult woman.

Principal Prosecution Counsel Keya Ombele asked the court to impose strict bond terms on Matonya, noting that the accused is a foreign national without a fixed residence in Kenya.

Ombele explained that the stringent terms were necessary to ensure he remains within the court’s jurisdiction throughout the trial.

The court granted Matonya a bond of Ksh 500,000 with one Kenyan surety. The court also ordered him to deposit his Tanzanian passport and barred him from leaving the jurisdiction without prior court approval.

“Additionally, immigration authorities were directed to place an alert at border points,” the ODPP added.

This comes a week after a Kitui Law Court convicted pastor Justus Mutinda Mbuvi to 15 years in jail for the offence of rape.

The ODPP in an update on April 2 said the accused committed the heinous act within church premises.

“The survivor, who had already been subjected to a separate rape incident, had sought help and refuge at the church when the accused took advantage of her vulnerable state. Despite the victim being injured, bleeding, and traumatised, the accused proceeded to assault her,” the ODPP stated.

Following the incident, the accused deceptively accompanied the survivor to the hospital under the pretext of offering assistance.

However, the victim informed the attending clinician of the ordeal, who alerted the police, leading to the arrest of the suspect.

During sentencing, Senior Resident Magistrate Elizabeth Karani noted that sexual offences were rampant in Kitui and emphasised the need for deterrent punishment.

The magistrate consequently imposed a 15-year custodial sentence on the accused.