Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

The Garissa High Court has formally charged two men afresh with the murder of 17-year-old Gaala Adan.

Mohammed Kassim Tiffow, 40, the husband of the deceased, and Adan Mohammed Ahmed appeared before Justice John Onyiego on Thursday morning, May 15.

This was after their co-accused, Mussa Sheikh Ahmed, was declared mentally unfit to stand trial following a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation.

According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the charges stem from a harrowing incident that occurred on March 22, 2025, at Lolkuta South Sub-location, Wara Location in Hadado Sub-County, within Wajir County.

Prosecutors alleged that the two men played a role in the violent killing of Gaala Adan, whose body was discovered under circumstances that investigators have described as deeply disturbing.

Principal Prosecution Counsel Bernard Owour told the court that the teenage girl was killed barely a month after she had been married off to Tiffow in a traditional Somali ceremony.

The marriage reportedly took place on February 22, 2025, at the Dagahaley Refugee Camp, one of the settlements making up the Dadaab refugee complex.

Both accused men entered not guilty pleas to the murder charges before the Garissa High Court.

Justice Onyiego directed that they remain in custody at the Garissa GK Prison until their next court appearance, scheduled for Monday, May 19, when the case will come up for mention.

Meanwhile, the third suspect, Mussa Sheikh, did not take a plea alongside his co-accused after a mental assessment concluded that he was unfit to stand trial.

The court ordered that Mussa be admitted to Mathare Mental Hospital for treatment and monitoring.

A new psychiatric report will then be submitted at a later date to determine his fitness to participate in the trial proceedings.

Justice Onyiego also directed the Garissa Probation Office to file a fresh pre-bail report after the one presented earlier was found incomplete.

In particular, the report failed to incorporate the views and concerns of the victim’s family, an omission the court deemed critical in a matter involving such grave allegations.

Elsewhere, a family in Kinyelwet village, Bomet county, was mourning after 38-year-old Beatrice Ngeno was allegedly killed by her husband, Peter Ngeno, who then fled the scene.

Police reported that the incident followed a domestic dispute, possibly over infidelity.

Beatrice's body was found in their home, showing signs of a violent struggle.

Source: TUKO.co.ke