Tanzanian musician Sefu Shabani Ramadhan, popularly known as Matonya, has been charged in a Mombasa court over an alleged rape incident.

The 43-year-old appeared before Chief Magistrate Robinson Ondiek at the Shanzu Law Courts, where he denied the charge.

According to the prosecution, the alleged incident took place on April 7, 2026, at an apartment in Nyali, Mombasa County, involving an adult woman.

State prosecutors pushed for strict bond conditions, arguing that the artist is not a Kenyan resident and may fail to attend court if released under lenient terms.

In its ruling, the court allowed Matonya to be released on a bond of Ksh 500,000, with one Kenyan surety. He was also directed to hand over his Tanzanian passport and was barred from leaving the country without permission from the court. Authorities further placed a travel alert at border points to ensure compliance with the orders.

The case is expected to proceed, with the matter scheduled for mention on April 30, 2026, for pre-trial directions.

Matonya is a Bongo Flava artist who rose to fame in the early 2000s, with songs like Vaileti and Anita earning him recognition across East Africa.