By Kelly Were
A retired Kenya Defence Forces officer, Major Anthony Jakaa Mganda—also known as Tonny or Major Mganda—was on Friday arraigned at the Shanzu Law Courts, where he faced serious criminal charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) formally brought charges against the ex-military officer, accusing him of defiling a 12-year-old girl on October 16, 2021.
The alleged incident took place in Nyali Sub-county, within Mombasa County.
Appearing before Senior Resident Magistrate Robert Mbogo, Mganda was charged with defilement under the Sexual Offences Act.
In addition to this primary charge, he faced two supplementary counts. These included committing an indecent act with a child and unlawfully transporting the minor in his personal vehicle—bearing registration number KCN 623M—for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that the accused allegedly used his military regalia to intimidate the young victim.
The court also heard that he had made attempts to interfere with witnesses involved in the case, raising further concerns about obstruction of justice.
Major Mganda pleaded not guilty to all three charges presented against him. Following his plea, Magistrate Mbogo granted him release on bond.
The terms of his release included a bond of Ksh 500,000 accompanied by a surety of the same amount. Alternatively, he was given the option to post a cash bail of Ksh 500,000.
The case is set to proceed as investigations continue, with the prosecution preparing to present further evidence and witness testimony in the upcoming court sessions.
