A Nairobi court has been told how Lucy Wambui died after paying nearly Sh700,000 for a cosmetic surgery at a Nairobi clinic.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) presented the fourth witness in the manslaughter case against the operators of Body by Design cosmetic clinic.
Testifying at Kibera High Court before Principal Magistrate Christine Njagi, Francis Nganga Mundia said a postmortem revealed his wife, Lucy Wambui Kamau, died from severe complications following liposuction during a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) procedure.
The case, prosecuted by Assistant DPPs Maryann Mwangi and Duncan Ondimu, names Dr. Robert Maweu Mutula and Body by Design directors George Wakaria Njoronge and Lilian Edna Wanjiru Mwariri as accused of causing Wambui’s death on October 16, 2024, at Omnicare Medical Limited, trading as Body by Design, along Kabarsiran Avenue in Nairobi County.
Court heard that documentary evidence, including a receipt, showed Wambui paid Sh693,000 for the procedure, intended to remove fat from her abdomen. Mundia told the court that his wife’s condition worsened after surgery, but she was allegedly discharged before fully recovering and without clearing the medical bill.
He said the clinic was abruptly closed immediately after her discharge, raising concerns about the facility’s conduct and management.
Mundia recounted that Wambui had seen aggressive advertisements by Body by Design on October 10, 2024, promoting cosmetic procedures. She later informed him of her decision to undergo surgery, which he opposed for nearly three weeks.
According to his testimony, when he visited her on the evening of October 17, 2024, a day after surgery, she was in visible distress, complaining of severe abdominal pain and shortness of breath. Her clothes were soaked with blood and body fluids, and she was in extreme pain.
The next day, Mundia noticed continued oozing of blood and body fluids from her abdomen, accompanied by a foul odor. When he raised concerns with medical attendants, he was allegedly assured the symptoms were normal and would subside with healing.
Mundia told the court that on October 22, 2024, Wambui was discharged around 4:30 p.m. despite not fully recovering. Within minutes of arriving home, her condition worsened. Attempts to return her to Body by Design failed as the facility was closed, leaving only a watchman on site. The family had to rush her to Nairobi Hospital.
He emotionally recalled receiving a call from his wife on October 23, 2024, asking him to pray for her as she feared she would die. Shortly after, he got an urgent call from Nairobi Hospital asking him to rush there.
Lucy Wambui Kamau died on October 26, 2024, prompting Mundia to report the matter to Muthangari Police Station, leading to investigations.
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