Court issues warrant for arrest of TikToker over Sh500,000 extortion case

 

Joseph Gitonga Kianya when he appeared before City Court. [File, Standard]

A Nairobi court has issued a warrant of arrest against TikToker Joseph Gitonga Kihanya, alias Gitonga Archives, after he failed to appear for a hearing in a Sh500,000 extortion case.

City Court Magistrate Grace Ouko issued the warrant after the prosecution informed the court that Kihanya and his lawyers Joshua Nyamori and Black Omanga were absent when the matter came up for hearing.

“The accused is absent and his advocates too. We therefore seek a warrant of arrest against him,” the State prosecutor told the court.

Consequently, the magistrate issued the warrant against Kihanya and directed that the case be mentioned on October 1, 2026.

Kihanya had denied a charge of demanding property with menaces, contrary to Section 302 of the Penal Code, brought against him by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

He is accused of demanding Sh500,000 from Amos Hunja Mwangi, a media service provider linked to Co-operative Bank, while allegedly threatening to tarnish the bank’s reputation on social media platforms.

The court was previously informed that Kihanya had posted defamatory content concerning Co-operative Bank of Kenya on his TikTok and other social media accounts.

According to the charge sheet, Kihanya allegedly committed the offences between July 20 and July 27, 2025, within Nairobi County, jointly with another person who was not before the court.

He is accused of demanding money from Hunja with intent to steal after allegedly publishing claims on his TikTok account.

The prosecution alleged that Kihanya subsequently contacted Hunja and demanded payment in exchange for pulling down the post.

“Mr. Kihanya told me plainly that if I didn't pay him Sh500,000, he would continue pushing the story online and drag the Co-operative Bank's name through the mud,” Hunja said in a police statement.

The matter was first reported under OB 49/27/07/2025 at Central Police Station in Nairobi.

Kihanya has since been barred from posting any further videos or comments regarding the case pending its hearing and determination.

He is currently out on a Sh50,000 cash bail or Sh100,000 bond.