Five defence lawyers representing suspects accused of murdering Dr. Victoria Mutiso have withdrawn from the case following disagreements with their clients.
The lawyers—Cliff Ombeta, Danstan Omari, Martina Swiga, Sam Nyaberi and Shadrack Wambui—told the High Court that their relationship with some of the accused had broken down.
Ombeta said some of the suspects had been filing applications without consulting their lawyers, adding that the legal teams and their clients were no longer “pulling in the same direction.”
The withdrawal came as Rose Mbithe Mulwa and her two children, Chris and Angela, raised allegations of torture and discrimination during their 60 days in police custody.
The three told the court that they had allegedly been treated differently from other suspects and asked the court to consider their circumstances as they sought to be released on bond.
Mulwa protested the withdrawal of the lawyers, arguing that she and her children were being left without adequate legal representation at a critical stage of the murder proceedings.
She also alleged that she had been tortured while in custody and was experiencing health problems. The prosecution has not yet responded to the allegations.
Justice Alexander Muteti allowed the five lawyers to withdraw from the case and directed the prosecution to respond to the allegations raised by the accused.
A new lawyer, Joel Kyatha Mbaluka, has since taken up representation of Mulwa and her children in their bond application.
The High Court is scheduled to hear the bond application on October 6 as the murder case continues.
