State drops murder charges against Tecra Muigai murder suspect Omar Lali

 

The main suspect in the murder of Keroche heiress Tecra Muigai has been freed by the court after the Director of Public Prosecutions dropped charges and applied for an open inquest.

Omar Lali (praying above), left the Garsen magistrate's court today a free man after the DPP applied to terminate his case.

 Omar, who was Tecra's boyfriend, was charged with murder at Lamu Law Courts on Monday where the Principal Magistrate Allan Temba made the ruling via a video link.

Tecra was the daughter of Keroche Breweries Chairman Joseph Karanja and the CEO, Tabitha Karanja.

According to lead prosecutor Eddie Kadebe and his colleague Zakaria Kiongo, there was sufficient evidence to take Mr Lali for plea taking.

Omar Lali on his knees as he is overwhelmed by emotions after being released. [Courtesy, Standard]

Lawyers representing the Karanjas lauded the move saying that justice was being served.

However, Lali’s advocate Yusuf Aboubakar vowed to prove his client's innocence.

“I allowed the decision by the DPP to be taken to the next stage for murder plea taking...If unable to present him within 24 hours, then he should be given Police bond,” Temba had said.

Omar Lali was the key suspect in the death of the late Tecra Muigai. The two allegedly lived together as man and wife in the Shella area of Lamu Island and had allegedly converted to Islam.

Police said they had picked inconsistencies in his account on how Tecra met her death.

According to police Lali had said that the late tumbled down the stairs before later changing his account to say she had tripped in the bathroom.

Lali was released on 27 May on a Sh300, 000 bond and two sureties provided by his mother and brother-in-law.

The autopsy by chief government pathologist Johansen Oduor found that Tecra died due to trauma to the left side of her face after a fall.

Tecra was laid to rest onMay 16 in a private burial in Naivasha.

The burial was attended by 100 people among them ODM leader Raila Odinga and his wife Ida Odinga, Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui, Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula, Vihiga Senator George Khaniri.

After the fall, Tecra was flown Nairobi where died in hospital.

Until her death, Tecra was the Strategy and Innovation Director at Keroche Breweries.

In a eulogy titled 'Eight Point Tribute to my Soulmate' her sister Anerlisa said Tecra's death forced her to reflect in the meaning of life.

"Your exit from the stage in your prime has forced me to reflect on the meaning of life and the lives of other phenomenal figures who left early, who like you, lived their lives fully and with a burning urgency to accomplish a mission." 

The Keroche Board and Directors described Tecra as brilliant adding that her passion and energy were the source of crucial innovations in enriching the company’s products.

Additional reporting by Saada Hassan