ODPP seeks fresh review of lawyer's murder case

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More than a year after a fatal incident outside a popular entertainment spot in Narok that left one person dead and another facing a murder charge, the search for answers has been pushed forward yet again.

The murder trial of Paul Kanyinke Sena has been pushed to November after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) requested more time to complete another review of the case file.

For Dr Sena, who has maintained that he acted in self-defence, and the family of slain advocate Mandela Nabaala Leyian, who continue waiting for justice, the latest delay means more months of uncertainty in a case that has attracted significant public attention.

The High Court in Narok on Tuesday postponed the hearing after prosecutors told the court they were still awaiting final directions from the ODPP headquarters.

The matter came up for mention on July 28 before Justice Charles Kariuki, who allowed the prosecution’s request for an adjournment.

The latest postponement comes months after the prosecution had already started presenting witnesses and forensic evidence. It is the second time the trial has been interrupted to allow prosecutors to review the evidence.

Court documents seen by The Standard show that, in a letter dated July 7, 2026, and addressed to the deputy registrar of the High Court in Narok, the prosecution formally sought an adjournment, saying the matter was still under review at the ODPP.

The letter, signed by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions and Head of Narok Station Gitonga Muranga, stated that the file had been forwarded to the regional office on November 7, 2025, for review and directions.

The prosecution later received confirmation, through a letter dated April 23, 2026, that the duplicate investigation file had been reviewed and forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further guidance.

Prosecutors told the court that they could not proceed until those directions were issued.

The latest review follows an earlier pause in February 2026, when the ODPP halted proceedings to re-examine the investigation file, including CCTV footage recovered from the scene of the incident.

The trial officially began on March 10, 2026.

The prosecution’s first witness was Santeyion Lemusia, a watchman at Mara Junction Club, who told the court that he rushed outside after hearing a gunshot and found Sena standing near the driver’s door of his vehicle, holding a pistol.

He testified that Leyian was nearby holding his neck and appeared unable to speak. A sword, he said, was lying on the ground near the deceased.

“When I heard the gunshot, I rushed to the scene and found the two standing adjacent to each other. The victim was standing holding his neck, trying to speak but unable to do so, while the accused was also standing facing him,” Lemusia told the court.

Another prosecution witness, Ambrose Lelesit, the proprietor of the nightclub, said he knew both men but had never seen them together before the incident.

During cross-examination by defence lawyer Gordon Ogado, Lelesit described Sena as a long-time customer who had never caused trouble at his establishments in Narok and Bomet.

“I knew the accused for a long time and he never caused trouble in any of my establishments in Narok and Bomet,” he said.