Manslaughter Case Continues Against Nairobi Cosmetic Clinic After Woman Dies Following BBL Procedure

The manslaughter trial against Nairobi-based cosmetic clinic Body by Design is ongoing. A 47-year-old woman died after a cosmetic procedure that cost nearly KSh700,000. The case resumed before Principal Magistrate Christine Njagi at Kibera High Court. The Director of Public Prosecutions presented the fourth witness.

Francis Nganga Mundia testified that his wife, Lucy Wambui Kamau, died from severe complications. She had undergone liposuction as part of a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL). A postmortem confirmed the surgery contributed to her death. The case names Dr. Robert Maweu Mutula and Body by Design directors George Wakaria Njoronge and Lilian Edna Wanjiru Mwariri. They are accused of causing her death on October 16, 2024, at Omnicare Medical Limited.

Mundia said his wife had seen aggressive advertisements by Body by Design on October 10, 2024. The ads promoted cosmetic surgeries. He opposed the procedure for nearly three weeks, but she went ahead. He recalled visiting her the day after surgery. She was in severe pain, struggling to breathe, and her clothes were soaked in blood.

Her condition worsened the next day. Blood continued to ooze, and a foul fecal smell emerged. Mundia claims staff reassured him that these symptoms were normal. Despite this, Wambui was discharged on October 22, 2024. She had not fully recovered and was allegedly forced out before paying an outstanding bill.

Minutes after arriving home, her condition deteriorated rapidly. The family tried to return her to Body by Design, but the clinic was closed. They rushed her to Nairobi Hospital. Wambui died on October 26, 2024.

Mundia reported her death to Muthangari Police Station. Investigations followed, leading to the prosecution of the clinic’s operators. The trial continues as the court hears more testimonies. The case raises concerns about patient safety, negligence, and accountability in Kenya’s cosmetic surgery sector.