Hesbon Mauti Thomas, a TikTok content creator initially admitting guilt for offensive conduct related to a video involving George Ruto, has altered his plea to not guilty.
The case was heard on July 31, 2026, at Milimani Law Courts before Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo. Represented by a legal team led by Cliff Ombeta, Mauti sought to enter a fresh plea on the charge of offensive conduct likely to breach the peace, as defined under section 94(1) of Kenya's Penal Code.
Mauti, a law student at Chuka University supported financially by a church, is an orphan with no parental guardians. The contentious remarks were made during the Linda Mananchi rally, where Mauti was recorded calling for violence against George Ruto and demanding compensation for Ruto's parents.
His lawyers emphasized the potential legal consequences of the initial plea and advised a change to better reflect his position. The court accepted the application allowing Mauti to plead not guilty.
Given Mauti's lack of income and guardians, his legal team requested a modest cash bail, which the prosecution did not oppose. Magistrate Onsarigo set bail at Ksh5,000 with one contact person and scheduled the next hearing for August 18, 2026, focusing on pre-trial procedures.
The charge sheet specifies that on June 25, 2026, Mauti posted the offending video on his TikTok account @PROVIDENT@bonifaceaminga, where he allegedly altered words to incite offensive conduct.
