Seven universities students arraigned in court over the death of a Daystar University student will remain in custody for another seven days to allow police to conclude investigations.
Chief Magistrate Dolphina Alego allowed the application by the DCI to detain the suspects for seven days instead of 10 as prayed.
The magistrate ruled that seven days were sufficient for the officers to conclude investigations.
The suspects include Dennis Kariuki Gitonga, Louis Osiro, Lucy Mora, Ali Kibwana Kamaku, Precious Kendi Mutembei, Austin Ochieng and Wendy Kerubo.
The court heard that the seven are students in different universities in Nairobi including Kenyatta University, University of Kenya, Mount Kenya University, Technical University of Nairobi and KCA University.
Investigating Officer Johnes Nyanginge told the court that the respondents were arrested on 23rd of November 2025 within Ngara area.
In his affidavit, CPL Nyanginge stated that the matter was reported by Patrick Mbugua, a security guard at Harmony Plaza in Ngara.
According to the guard, at around 2.30 am, a group of six University students proceeded to 12th floor room K78 and started parting while shouting, singing and playing guitar.
“The said security guard went and ordered them to stop of which they obeyed,” the officer added.
The court heard that at around 4 am, four of them left the apartment premises and later returned.
It os alleged that the guard asked Gitonga who is a tenant at 11th floor room L75, if they were his visitors of which he confirmed and the security guard warned them not to make unnecessary noise.
“The group then proceeded to the lift and after a few minutes the security guard heard a big bang. He hurriedly went to check found the body of 23 year old Lorna Kathambi Karani, a 4th year student at Daystar university, lying dead on the ground floor.
After the police arrived at the scene, they observed that he victim’s body had injuries on the head and suspected she could have been murdered.
The police were apprehensive that releasing the suspects at the moment would jeopardize investigations.
On addition, the officers told the court that the seven are a flight risk and could interfere with witnesses if released at this point.
