The Garissa High Court has set aside an earlier plea and charged two men afresh in connection with the murder of a 17-year-old refugee girl, following a mental assessment report that found one of the suspects unfit to stand trial.
The suspects, Mohammed Kassim Tiffow — the husband of the deceased — and Adan Mohammed Ahmed, have been formally charged with the murder of Gaala Adan, a teenage refugee, who was allegedly killed on March 22, 2025, in Lolkuta South Sub-location, Wajir County.
Principal Prosecution Counsel Mr. Bernard Owour informed the court that the incident took place barely a month after Gaala was married to Tiffow (aged 40) in a ceremony held under Somali customary rites on February 22, 2025, at Dagahaley Refugee Camp.
The third suspect, Mussa Sheikh Ahmed, was exempted from the fresh plea after a mental health evaluation concluded that he is currently unfit to stand trial. Justice John Onyiego ordered that Mussa be admitted to Mathare Mental Hospital for treatment, with a new mental assessment to be conducted before he can take a plea at a later date.
The court also noted a procedural shortfall in the initial pre-bail report, which failed to capture the views of the victim’s family. Justice Onyiego ordered the Garissa probation office to file a second, more comprehensive report.
The two accused men, who pleaded not guilty, have been remanded at Garissa GK Prison until May 19, 2025, when the case will be mentioned again in court.
This harrowing case has reignited concerns around child marriage, gender-based violence, and the vulnerability of refugee girls in Kenya’s northern counties. Gaala’s death has sparked outrage among rights groups, calling for urgent reforms in the protection of minors in refugee communities.
by Kelly Were
