A man at the center of a chilling double murder inside Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) is set to face charges in court today, as investigators race to piece together the events that left two patients dead in their hospital beds.
Kennedy Kalombotole, a long-term patient at KNH, will appear before the Kibera Law Courts on Thursday, July 24, in connection with the deaths of Edward Maingi Ndengwa, killed on July 17, and Gilbert Kinyua Muthoni, who died in February under similar circumstances.
Both victims were admitted to the hospital and found lifeless in their beds, prompting a months-long investigation that has shocked the public and raised serious questions about patient safety in Kenya’s top referral hospital.
Kalombotole, was first admitted into KNH in late 2022, he was again re-admitted in December 2024 and remained in the hospital at the time the two incidents occurred.
Detectives say the trail of evidence points to a disturbing pattern. Inside Kalombotole’s room in a nearby ward, investigators reportedly recovered blood-stained bedsheets, a knife wrapped in gloves, slippers with matching footprints, and other materials now under forensic analysis at the National Forensic Laboratory.
The court earlier granted police permission to collect DNA samples, conduct a post-mortem on one of the victims, and obtain fingerprint evidence to aid in the probe.
During a hearing on July 21, Principal Magistrate Daisy Mutahi directed that medical records from KNH and Nairobi Women’s Hospital, where Kalombotole had also been treated, be submitted to the court.
The magistrate ordered that she will not decide whether to detain the suspect for another 21 days until a thorough briefing of his mental and physical condition is tabled before her.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) informs the case remains open pending waiting for outcome of pending forensic reports and lab work, and further witness statements are being gathered.
Kalombotole’s court appearance will mark a crucial moment in a case that continues to misterious questions: How could two patients be murdered in a national hospital and how did it take so long to catch on?
