Court drops plea as two face fresh murder charges over Wajir teen’s death

The case involving the murder of a 17-year-old refugee girl in Wajir has taken a new turn after the Garissa High Court set aside an initial plea and charged two suspects afresh.

The court’s decision came after a mental health report revealed that one of the accused, Mussa Sheikh Ahmed, was unfit to stand trial.

As a result, only Mohammed Kassim Tiffow and Adan Mohammed Ahmed were charged afresh with the killing of Gaala Adan.

The murder is said to have taken place on March 22, 2025, at Lolkuta South Sub-location, Wara Location, Hadado Sub-County, within Wajir County.

Principal Prosecution Counsel Bernard Owour told the court that the deceased had been married to Kassim Tiffow, aged 40, on 22nd February 2025 in a Somali traditional ceremony held at Dagahaley Refugee Camp.

The two accused pleaded not guilty when they appeared before Justice John Onyiego.

The judge ordered that Mussa Sheikh be admitted to Mathare Mental Hospital for treatment and only take plea once a fresh medical report confirms he is fit to stand trial.

The court also directed the Garissa probation office to file a second pre-bail report after the first one failed to reflect the views of the victim’s family.

All the suspects will remain in custody at Garissa GK Prison until the case is mentioned again on May 19, 2025.