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TikToker ‘Gitonga Archives’ Ordered for Mental Assessment in Ksh.500K Extortion Case
"This court directs the Industrial Area Prison to escort the accused person to Kenyatta National Hospital for the mental assessment and directed the matter to be mentioned on November 3, 2026," the magistrate directed.
A City Court Magistrate has ordered the TikToker and street activist, Joseph Gitonga Kihanya, alias Gitonga Archives, who is facing allegations of extortion from a service provider linked to a local Bank, to be taken to hospital for a mental assessment.
The directions come following the request of the probation officer, who told the court to give an order for the accused to be assessed mentally, claiming that he seems to be unfit and confused,
“Your Honour, I have been trying to interview the accused person, but when I ask a question, he seems to be confused and unable to respond,” the prosecution told the court.
While giving directions for the TikToker’s mental assessment, City Court Magistrate S Ouko noted the need for the accused to be assessed following the strange and weird characters depicted during the interview,
“This court directs the Industrial Area Prison to escort the accused person to Kenyatta National Hospital for the mental assessment and directed the matter to be mentioned on November 3, 2026,” the magistrate directed.
Gitonga was arrested and detained in Industrial Area Remand Prison after absconding.
Gitonga is charged with demanding property with menaces, contrary to Section 302 of the Penal Code. He has denied the allegations and previously pleaded not guilty to the charge.
According to the prosecution, Gitonga allegedly acted jointly with another person who has not been brought before the court to demand KSh500,000 from Amos Hunja Mwangi, a media service provider linked to a local bank.
The alleged offence is said to have occurred between July 20 and July 27, 2025, within Nairobi County.
The prosecution alleges that the demand was connected to a video published on Gitonga’s TikTok account in which he claimed that Ksh.1.6 billion had been stolen from a bank account.
The prosecution further alleges that Gitonga demanded the money in exchange for removing the video and refraining from publishing additional content concerning the financial institution.
Hunja reportedly told detectives that Gitonga threatened to continue releasing material that could damage the bank’s reputation if the money was not paid.
Gitonga had been out on a KSh 50,000 cash bail as he awaits trial.
The case will be mentioned on November 3, 2026.
