A Kibera court has summoned two directors of Omnicare Medical, also known as Body by Design, a plastic and cosmetic surgery clinic, to appear in person on Wednesday to face manslaughter charges over the death of social media influencer Lucy Wambui Kamau following an alleged botched surgery.
Principal Magistrate Samson Temu issued the summons after the accused—George Wakaria Njoroge, Lilian Edna Wanjiru, and Robert Maweu Mutula, a surgeon at the clinic—failed to appear for plea-taking on Tuesday.
Their lawyers, Danstan Omari and Shadrack Wambui, argued that the summons had been served late and requested that their clients be allowed to appear on April 2, 2024. Omari further informed the court that the suspects had secured anticipatory bail from the High Court to prevent their arrest.
The prosecution, however, insisted that all suspects had been properly served and urged the court to issue arrest warrants. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) argued that the High Court had not halted proceedings and that there was no reason to delay the case.
The magistrate directed the suspects to appear before the court at 9 a.m. for plea-taking.
The case stems from the October 14, 2024, liposuction 360/BBL procedure that Wambui underwent at Omnicare Medical. After being discharged on October 18, she later developed complications and returned to the facility before being referred to Nairobi Hospital. There, she underwent emergency surgery on October 23, during which doctors discovered multiple perforations in her intestines. She passed away on October 26, with a postmortem revealing that she had succumbed to extensive internal complications.
Wambui was the wife of prominent Nairobi businessman Francis Ng’ang’a, CEO of Valley Road Motors and Village Market Auto Bazaar.
Following investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the DPP approved charges against the suspects. However, the accused have filed an urgent application in the High Court to stop the prosecution, arguing that their actions were lawful and that Wambui had given informed consent for the procedure.
In their petition, Njoroge, Wanjiru, and Dr. Mutula claim that Wambui had been fully informed of the risks and possible complications before undergoing surgery. They assert that the procedure was successful and that she did not report any post-surgical complications before being discharged.
The suspects argue that their prosecution is unlawful and arbitrary, calling for an independent review of the case. They claim that the DPP has failed to properly assess the matter in accordance with prosecutorial guidelines, making the decision to charge them irrational and an abuse of power.
Defense lawyer Omari warned that prosecuting medical professionals for lawful procedures could set a dangerous precedent that might discourage medical interventions and undermine the healthcare sector.
The case continues to attract significant public interest, with debates over medical accountability, informed consent, and legal responsibility in cosmetic surgery procedures.
