TikToker Rish Kamunge to spend another night in police cell in fake overseas jobs scam case

TikToker Maria Wangari Kamunge, also known as Rish Kamunge, is set to spend the night in police custody after being arrested over allegations of fraud.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), in a miscellaneous application on Thursday, sought to detain her for seven days as they continue investigations.

Kamunge, operating under the name Trustpin Verified Agent Ltd, is accused of promising Kenyans job opportunities abroad in exchange for payments ranging from Ksh.200,000 to Ksh.300,000.

However, after receiving the money, she allegedly failed to deliver on her promises and became unreachable.

According to the police, multiple complaints were lodged against her between January 1 and March 20, 2025.

The victims claimed they were instructed to send money via M-Pesa to a number registered under Kamunge’s name. When they failed to receive the promised jobs, they attempted to reach her, but she had reportedly gone into hiding.

Kamunge was apprehended on March 26, 2025 in an office building in Nairobi by members of the public, who then handed her over to Central Police Station.

Since her arrest, additional victims have come forward with similar complaints, prompting the DCI to seek extended custody.

In an affidavit, Police Investigator Corporal Joseph Karanja argued that detaining Kamunge was necessary to allow investigations to be completed.

He further cited concerns that her release could pose a public safety risk, given the outrage among those allegedly defrauded.

The officer further claimed that Kamunge might attempt to evade justice, as she had already gone into hiding following the initial complaints.

However, Kamunge’s defense team opposed the request, arguing that there was no evidence that she is a flight risk.

The lawyers insisted that she had voluntarily surrendered to the police, contradicting claims that she was apprehended by an angry mob.

Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina is expected to rule on Friday on the request for extended detention.