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Seven students spared murder charges as DPP orders inquest into Daystar Student’s death
From right: Dennis Kariuki Gitonga, Loise Osiro, Lucy Mora, Ali Kibwana Kamaku, Precious Kendi Mutembei, Austin Ochieng, and Wendy Kerubo before the Milimani Law Courts on November 24, 2025, in connection with the death of 23-year-old Daystar University student Lorna Kathambi.
Seven university students who had been detained over the death of a 23-year-old Daystar University student nine days ago have avoided murder charges after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Ingonga, ordered a public inquest to determine the cause of death.
The DPP’s directive came as a relief to the parents of the seven students, who emotionally addressed the court, saying: “We are depressed. We have spent sleepless nights because of the predicament our children have put us in.”
The parents condoled with the family of the late Lorna Kathambi Karani, saying they understood “the pain of losing a child after all the investments.”
However, they condemned their children for “cajoeling and encouraging each other to indulge in alcoholism and drugs, leading to the loss of a precious life.”
The seven students — Dennis Kariuki Gitonga, Louis Osiro, Lucy Moraa, Ali Kibwana Kamaki, Precious Kendi Mutembei, Austin Ochieng, and Wendy Kerubo — who will now be witnesses in the inquest into what caused Lorna’s death on the night of November 23, 2025, apologised to their parents, the deceased’s family and the court.
Speaking to their children in court, the parents lamented, “Children can shock parents. We send them to college, rent houses for them, and instead of taking their studies seriously, they begin partying and abusing alcohol and drugs.”
They added: “No one is ever awarded a certificate, degree, or PhD for indulging in alcoholism.”
Each of the accused students tendered individual apologies for “diverting from the purpose of learning to drunkenness and partying.”
When the seven appeared before the court for directions from the DPP, prosecuting counsel Hilary Isiaho stated he had ordered a public inquest into the death of Lorna to establish what caused her demise.
As an interim measure to support the students, who are reported to be psychologically and emotionally traumatized after being held in police cells on a capital offense, the Magistrate instructed the parents to move them out of their rented apartments and take them home.
“For psychosocial support and counselling, stay with your children at your city residences, from where they will attend college,” it advised.
The court further urged the parents to instill discipline and practice “hard love,” which includes firm corrective measures when necessary.
The magistrate released the seven to their parents and directed them to await further instructions on when the inquest will begin.
The DPP informed the court that the inquest would be placed before a magistrate with competent jurisdiction to receive evidence aimed at establishing the cause of Lorna’s death.
“After the inquest, the court will determine whether any of the suspects will be held culpable,” he said, adding that the DPP had ordered that all seven students be treated as state witnesses.
Lorna allegedly jumped from the 12th floor of Harmony Plaza, dying instantly upon impact.
She was a student at Daystar University’s Athi River Campus.
The seven students, drawn from Mount Kenya University, KCA University, Daystar University, and the University of Nairobi, had gathered at the rented apartment of Louis on the 12th floor of Harmony Plaza for a party.
