Court grants Ksh.50K bail to JSS teacher accused of impersonating President Ruto's daughter

Samwel Mogwasi Mainga who was arrested on Wednesday in Mombasa County for allegedly violating the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act was released on Friday on a Ksh.50,000 bail.

In granting bail, the court ruled that the prosecution had not submitted sufficient grounds for the continued detention of the accused.

It was also the court's finding that the suspect was not likely to interfere with investigations.

Mainga was however directed to report to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) every Friday until the conclusion of the investigations. 

The matter will be mentioned on April 24, 2025.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had requested more time to gather critical evidence, including documents from the suspect’s social media accounts and additional witness testimonies.

Authorities expressed concerns that Mainga may attempt to flee the jurisdiction, citing uncertainty about his current residence. As such, investigators sought an additional seven days to complete their inquiry.

However, Mainga’s defense lawyer, Danstan Omari, opposed the request, asserting that his client is a registered teacher with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and has a permanent residence.

Omari also argued that forensic analysis of social media accounts and the recording of witness statements could proceed without Mainga’s continued detention, which he said would violate his client’s constitutional rights.