The Kibera Law Courts have allowed detectives to detain a woman linked to the death of Nairobi Hospital director Dr Job Obwaka for 10 days as investigations gather pace.
Beatrice Wangari, who is being treated as a person of interest in the case, was presented in court on Monday, May 4, where the prosecution sought 14 days to complete investigations.
However, Kibera Deputy Registrar Barbara Alice Akinyi granted the State 10 working days instead, ordering that Wangari be held at Kilimani Police Station.
“The State is hereby granted 10 working days. The respondent shall be detained at Kilimani Police Station,” ruled Akinyi.
Wangari’s arrest followed the sudden death of Dr Obwaka, a veteran gynaecologist and senior figure at Nairobi Hospital, whose passing has sparked widespread attention within the medical fraternity.
According to investigators, Wangari was the last person seen with the 79-year-old doctor before his death.
Detectives told the court that the two had spent time together prior to the incident, and are now pursuing multiple lines of inquiry, including a possible poisoning angle.
Court documents further indicate that the doctor had visited Wangari’s residence, where they shared a meal before he developed complications.
Dr Obwaka reportedly collapsed on May 1 while in Kitengela and was rushed to Nairobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
His body has since been moved to Lee Funeral Home, with a post-mortem examination expected to determine the exact cause of death.
The case has drawn significant public interest, not only because of the circumstances surrounding his final hours, but also due to his long-standing role in Kenya’s medical sector and recent involvement in a high-profile governance dispute at the hospital.
With Wangari now in custody, detectives say the next phase of the probe will be critical in establishing whether foul play was involved.
