Three suspects linked to the death of Lucy Wambui Ng’ang’a will spend the night behind bars after denying manslaughter charges at the Kibera Law Courts on Wednesday.
The accused, surgeon Robert Maweu Mutula and proprietors George Wakaria Njoroge and Lilian Edna Wanjiru, are alleged to have caused Lucy’s death following complications from a cosmetic surgery procedure at the Body by Design facility in Lavington.
The suspects appeared in court a day after being ordered to present themselves in person, having failed to honor previous summons on Tuesday.
Their appearance followed the lapse of an anticipatory bail granted earlier by the High Court, which had temporarily blocked their arrest and prosecution.
Justice Diana Kavedza had directed the trio to appear before Trial Magistrate Samson Temu for plea-taking on Wednesday afternoon, dismissing their last-minute attempts to extend the anticipatory bail.
In the packed courtroom, the three suspects pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter related to the October 2024 death of Lucy Wambui Ng’ang’a at Omnicare Medical Limited, also known as Body by Design, located on Kabarsiran Avenue, Nairobi.
The prosecution, led by Counsel John Victor Owiti, urged the court to deny bail, arguing that releasing the suspects would amount to a miscarriage of justice.
Owiti asserted that the severity of the charge and the public interest warranted their continued detention.
However, the defense team opposed the DPP’s plea, insisting that denying bail would infringe on the suspects’ fundamental right to freedom, as they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Trial Magistrate Samson Temu ruled that the three suspects remain in remand pending his decision on their bail application, scheduled for a later date.
The suspects had initially secured an anticipatory bail to prevent their arrest after activist groups raised concerns over Lucy Wambui’s death.
The bail, however, expired before their appearance in court, prompting the fresh order for remand.
As the legal battle unfolds, questions about medical accountability and the regulation of cosmetic surgery clinics in Kenya continue to stir debate.
