CCTV Evidence Clears Seven Daystar Students in Lorna Kathambi Case
Seven Daystar University students previously linked to the tragic death of their colleague, Lorna Kathambi Karani, were on Monday, December 1, given relief after fresh evidence ruled out their involvement.
The group had been treated as key suspects following the incident, but newly reviewed CCTV footage showed that Lorna accidentally fell while attempting to move between balconies, eliminating suspicions of foul play by those she was with.
The incident happened on the night of November 23 when Lorna and several friends met at an apartment in Nairobi’s Ngara area. Investigators later established that the group had gathered for a small party where they were singing and consuming alcohol.
Security records indicate the group entered a 12th-floor unit at 2:27am. By 4:10am, four members of the group briefly stepped out and later returned with another person. Moments later, a loud sound was heard, prompting a security guard to check the area. Lorna was discovered on the ground floor after the fall.
Police arrested seven students—four males and three females—after items believed to belong to Lorna were found inside the apartment. Detectives initially sought to detain them for ten days to allow time for forensic analysis, witness interviews, and retrieval of surveillance footage. The court, however, approved a shorter seven-day detention.
During the hearings, the court pressed the students to reflect on the role that alcohol and late-night partying may have played in the events. Magistrate Dolphina Alego emphasized the potentially serious consequences of reckless behaviour.
Everything shifted when additional CCTV footage emerged on December 1, showing that Lorna’s fall was accidental. This new evidence confirmed that none of the students present contributed to her death.
With the findings, prosecutors recommended a public inquest rather than criminal charges. The court agreed, officially clearing the students and classifying them as witnesses to help uncover the full truth behind the tragedy—one that has left Lorna’s family devastated.
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CCTV Evidence Clears Seven Daystar Students in Lorna Kathambi Case