Teacher detained for impersonating Ruto’s daughter on Facebook
Mainga was arraigned at the Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court and is currently being held at the Capitol Hill Police Station in Nairobi pending a bail ruling expected on Friday morning.
A Junior Secondary School (JSS) teacher is under probe for reportedly creating a fake social media account to impersonate President William Ruto’s daughter, June Ruto.
Samuel Mogwasi Mainga, a teacher from Nyamira County, found himself in police custody on Thursday after being accused of impersonating Ruto’s daughter on social media.
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Mainga was arraigned at the Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court and is currently being held at the Capitol Hill Police Station in Nairobi pending a bail ruling expected on Friday morning.
According to court documents, Mainga allegedly used a Facebook account to pose as June Ruto, publishing content on March 20 and April 8, 2025.
He was arrested in Mombasa on Wednesday, April 9, while accompanying students attending a national sports event. Authorities say he left the students unattended at the venue when he was apprehended.
In an affidavit sworn by Police Constable Peter Mwangi, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) sought permission to detain the teacher for an additional seven days to allow time for the completion of investigations into suspected identity theft and impersonation.
“The matter is complex,” Mwangi told the court, adding that detectives need more time to gather crucial information and documents, including digital forensic evidence from Mainga’s social media activity.
The officer further argued against releasing the suspect on bail or bond, citing concerns that Mainga might abscond since his place of residence was still unknown to the investigating team.
However, Mainga’s lawyer, Danstan Omari, challenged the detention request, insisting that his client has a fixed place of abode and is a registered teacher under the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). Omari also said Mainga’s continued detention was unnecessary for the investigation to proceed.
“The police do not need to keep him in custody as they collect witness statements and analyse digital evidence,” Omari told the court. “It is against his constitutional rights.”
He further alleged that Mainga was arrested while fulfilling his teaching responsibilities at a national event and that the charges were unfounded.
The court directed that Mainga be held at Capitol Hill Police Station until Friday, April 11, at 9 am, when a ruling on the DCI’s application for extended detention will be delivered.
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