Court allows detectives to detain seven Daystar students over death of colleague at Ngara Apartment
According to police, Lorna had spent the evening in the company of the suspects, all fellow students, singing, sharing drinks, and playing guitar in one of the apartments. What began as a casual night out ended in tragedy, prompting detectives to launch a probe into whether her fall was accidental, self-inflicted, or the result of foul play.
A Nairobi court has granted investigators seven days to detain seven Daystar University students as detectives piece together the final moments of their colleague, 23-year-old Lorna Kathambi, who died under unclear circumstances at an apartment in Ngara over the weekend.
The seven —Dennis Kariuki Gitonga, Loise Osiro, Lucy Mora, Ali Kabwana Kamaku, Precious Kendi Mutembei, Austin Ochieng, and Wendy Kerubo— were arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) after Lorna's body was found on the ground floor of Harmony Plaza in Ngara following what guards described as a "heavy thud."
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According to police, Lorna had spent the evening in the company of the suspects, all fellow students, singing, sharing drinks, and playing guitar in one of the apartments.
What began as a casual night out ended in tragedy, prompting detectives to launch a probe into whether her fall was accidental, self-inflicted, or the result of foul play.
In a miscellaneous application filed in court, investigators urged the magistrate to allow them more time to detain the group, describing the matter as "complex" and the circumstances surrounding Lorna's death as still unclear.
They told the court they were yet to obtain CCTV footage from the building, analyse phone records, and record statements from additional witnesses.
DCI also informed the court that crucial forensic examinations could not begin until Lorna's family travels from Meru to Nairobi to formally identify the body and pave the way for a post-mortem.
The autopsy, they argued, will be central in determining the cause of death and guiding possible charges.
The prosecution warned that releasing the suspects at this stage could jeopardise investigations, pointing out that some of them lived within the same building and could interfere with the yet-to-be-retrieved CCTV system or intimidate witnesses.
The defence, however, protested the detention request, arguing that the students had cooperated fully with police and had no reason to abscond. Their lawyers urged the court to consider releasing them on reasonable bail terms while allowing detectives to continue with the probe.
After considering the submissions, the magistrate ruled that the detectives had demonstrated sufficient grounds to hold the seven for seven more days, noting that the early stage of investigations required safeguarding potential evidence.
Meanwhile, Lorna's family remains in shock as they prepare to travel to Nairobi for the identification process and await answers on what transpired in the final hours of the young student's life.
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