On Tuesday, the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP) Renson Ingonga approved manslaughter charges against ‘Body by Design’ Clinic proprietors following the death of Lucy Wambui Kamau.
The 47-year old woman died on October 26, 2024, due to complications, just days after undergoing cosmetic surgery at the facility.
The four suspects, Robert Maweu Mutula, a surgeon, George Wakaria Njoroge, Lilian Edna Wanjiru, the proprietor of Body by Design and the Body by Design hospital, are set to take a plea on Wednesday.
As the case makes headlines, months after Ms Kamau’s death, here is a timeline of the events that led up to the closure of several unlicensed cosmetic clinics and the manslaughter charges brought against the four.
Timeline of events
- The saga began on October 16, 2024, when Lucy Wambui underwent a liposuction procedure at Body by Design, a cosmetic surgery clinic operated by Omnicare Medical in Nairobi, as recorded in court documents.
- She was discharged from the clinic on October 18. A few days later, the surgery quickly took a dark turn, as Wambui began experiencing severe abdominal pain and breathing difficulties.
- She was returned to the clinic on October 22, and despite her deteriorating condition, the clinic discharged her on the same day.
Barely able to withstand the pain, later in the day, Wambui sought emergency treatment at Nairobi Hospital. Medical professionals at the facility reported multiple perforations in her intestines. They, however, fought to stabilise her, but their efforts were in vain.
- On October 26, 2024, 47-year-old Lucy Wambui Kamau succumbed to complications from the surgery, leaving behind a devastated family and sparking national outcry.
- In the wake of her death and following public outcry, the Ministry of Health intervened, ordering the immediate closure of Body by Design on October 31, 2024.
- However, Omnicare Medical challenged the closure in court on November 1 through lawyer Danstan Omari, arguing that no conclusive evidence had linked the clinic to Wambui’s demise.
- On November 4, in a statement to KBC Digital, Prof. Ferdinand Nangole, President of the Kenya Society of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgeons (KSPRAS) assured the public that there were qualified professionals operating in Kenya following rigorous safety protocols. KSPRAS further encouraged Kenyans to verify practitioners’ certifications through the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board (KMPDB).
- Following Omnicare’s filing on November 1, the High Court certified the case as urgent on November 5, 2024, directing all involved parties to file their responses within seven days.
As the legal battle unfolded, Wambui was laid to rest on the same day at her home in Redhill, Kiambu County. Family members and friends gathered to bid farewell, calling for justice and demanding stricter regulation of cosmetic surgery clinics to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
- A day later, on November 6, the case also prompted the Ministry of Health to launch a 30-day nationwide crackdown on unlicensed medical spas and cosmetic surgery clinics.
In a statement released to the media, Principal Secretary, Mary Muthoni, expressed concern over Ms Wambui’s death, noting that investigations by the Kenya Medical and Pharmacists Dentists Council (KMPDC) had revealed serious malpractices and non-compliance with health standards.
- On February 7, 2025, the Ministry of Health, through PS Mary Muthoni, directed the closure of several establishments operating without proper licenses, aiming to protect Kenyans from unregulated and unsafe medical practices.
- After months of investigations and public outcry, the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP) Renson Ingonga approved manslaughter charges against ‘Body by Design’ Clinic proprietors following the death of Lucy Wambui on April 1.
- The four suspects involved in Lucy Wambui’s surgery are charged in court on April 2, 2025.
