The death of gospel singer Betty Bayo has taken a new turn after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) ordered investigations into the circumstances surrounding her passing.
In a letter dated Tuesday, the DPP, through Deputy Director Jacinta Nyamosi, directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to open a probe into the singer’s death and submit its findings within seven days.
The move follows a formal request by Bayo’s mother, Joyce Wairimu, who petitioned the DPP seeking an inquest, saying there were lingering questions that had never been answered.
In her letter, Wairimu told the prosecution that her daughter had not shown signs of serious illness in the days leading up to her death, raising doubts about the circumstances under which her condition deteriorated.
The family also expressed concern over what they described as restricted access to Bayo’s postmortem report, despite claims that the singer had no known underlying health conditions prior to her final hospitalisation.
According to official records, Betty Bayo, whose real name was Beatrice Wairimu Mbugua, died on Monday, November 10, after a reported battle with cancer. However, her family has questioned the leukaemia diagnosis, saying her health only worsened rapidly at the beginning of November in a manner they now find suspicious.
Their concerns were further deepened by what Wairimu described as a rushed burial, which she claims may have been intended to conceal critical evidence surrounding her daughter’s death.
The DPP now says investigations will help establish the true circumstances that led to the death of the “11th Hour” hitmaker.
Signs that Bayo’s health was declining first became public in August 2025 when she was hospitalised and shared a photo on social media showing her wearing an oxygen mask. At the time, she attributed her condition to the cold weather but did not disclose details of her cancer diagnosis.
A week before her death, fresh concerns emerged after reports claimed that a hospital had allegedly delayed admitting her until a Ksh200,000 deposit was paid. The hospital has since denied the claims.
As detectives move in to investigate, Bayo’s family says they hope the probe will finally bring clarity and closure over the loss of the gospel singer whose death continues to raise painful questions.