The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has charged a third suspect in connection with the gruesome murder of a 17-year-old refugee girl, Gaala Adan, in Wajir County earlier this year.
Appearing before the Garissa High Court on Thursday, the suspect, Mussa Sheikh, was formally charged with the offence of murder, jointly with two others already before the court.
Principal Prosecution Counsel Bernard Owour told the court that Mussa, alongside his co-accused, is believed to have participated in the killing of the teenager on March 22, 2025, at Lolkuta South Sub-location in Hadado Sub-County.
The charge follows a second mental assessment report, which concluded that Mussa was mentally fit to stand trial. He pleaded not guilty.
Earlier, the prosecution had charged two other suspects — 40-year-old Mohammed Kassim Tiffow, who was reportedly married to the deceased, and Adan Mohammed Ahmed.
The court heard that Gaala had been married to Tiffow in a traditional Somali ceremony held on February 22, 2025, at Dagahaley Refugee Camp, just one month before her death.
The case has drawn significant public attention due to the deceased’s age and refugee status, raising fresh concerns over child marriage and gender-based violence in refugee communities.
All three accused persons have denied the murder charges. Justice John Onyiego, who is presiding over the matter, ordered that the suspects be released on a bond of Ksh. 1 million each. He also set the hearing dates for October 7 and 8, 2025.
The prosecution is expected to call multiple witnesses, including family members, refugee camp officials, and forensic experts, to establish the circumstances leading to the teenager’s death.
The case is being closely watched by human rights groups and refugee advocates, who have called for expedited justice and greater protection mechanisms for vulnerable girls in Kenya’s refugee settlements
By Were Kelly
