The relief felt by seven university students after their release from detention yesterday was instantly overshadowed by a sharp, unforgettable rebuke delivered by high-profile lawyer Cliff Ombeta and a Nairobi Magistrate.

The students had been held in connection with the tragic death of their colleague, Lorna Kathambi, who died after falling from an apartment balcony during a party.

The decision to release the group came after new CCTV evidence suggested Kathambi was highly intoxicated and fell accidentally while attempting to jump between balconies.

However, both the judicial bench and the defence counsel used the moment not for celebration, but for a powerful intervention on responsibility and consequence.

The Magistrate’s blunt accountability check

The Nairobi Magistrate wasted no time in delivering a stern warning on personal accountability. She stressed how easily a single mistake could derail a promising future, urging the students to fully internalise the severity of their recent experience.

“You see, sometimes when they’re out of this place, they think it is business as usual,” she observed, insisting that courtrooms serve as crucial lessons in life and personal conduct.

She also cautioned them about the pervasive reach of the digital world, noting that involvement in such an incident could affect future opportunities. “Right now, even for visas, they just Google your name. Either you’ll get it or you won’t.”
Ombeta’s Confession: From Troublemaker to Top Lawyer

In a rare and personal address, the renowned lawyer Cliff Ombeta stood before the students and turned his own turbulent history into a powerful cautionary tale. Describing himself as a former “troublemaker,” he openly admitted to a checkered academic record, detailing the six schools he was forced to leave:

• Nairobi Primary (Class six)
• Nairobi South
• Jamuhuri High School (Form one)
• Highway Secondary (Form two)
• Friends School Kamusinga (Had several suspensions)
• Kabarak High School (Finished high school)

Despite his academic brightness, Ombeta’s indiscipline consistently led to expulsion. He challenged the students to recognise that life at the university level demands a far higher degree of maturity.

“All that time you were in high school… you had that gap for mischief. Here onwards, you’re in campus. Where is that gap?” he demanded.

Ombeta focused strongly on the deep emotional toll reckless behaviour inflicts on family members, reminding the students that their choices hurt victims far beyond themselves—their parents.

“You trouble your parents. You give them ulcers… They wake up at 4 a.m. thinking you’re in class, only to find you’re in the cells,” he stated, emphasizing the financial and psychological sacrifices made by their families.

Finally, both the lawyer and the magistrate warned the group about the inescapable nature of their digital footprint.

Ombeta urged them to guard their public image, pointing out, “You don’t want your name to appear in social media… Your next employer will Google and find your picture there.”