The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
The High Court has granted a request by investigators to detain police officer Elijah Kibelion Kimoi and his co-accused, Daniel Njoroge and Kevin Kinuthia, for 30 days in connection with the murder of Dr. Victoria Nthunya Mutiso.
The three suspects were presented in court on Monday, where the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said preliminary investigations had established the alleged role each played in the killing.
In his ruling, Magistrate Paul Mutai said releasing the suspects at this stage could compromise both their safety and the ongoing investigation.
The magistrate noted that Kimoi is a serving police officer and warned that releasing the three on bond could create an opportunity for them to interfere with investigations.
An affidavit filed by Corporal Romana Odour of the DCI’s Homicide Investigations Bureau outlines the roles investigators have attributed to each suspect.
According to the affidavit, investigators believe Kimoi fired the shot that killed Dr. Mutiso.
Njoroge is accused of driving a black Toyota Prado, registration KDH 600A, which allegedly blocked the Toyota Passo, registration KDJ 609D, in which Dr. Mutiso was travelling.
Kinuthia, meanwhile, is alleged to have used motorcycle registration KMGZ 980D to ferry Kimoi to and from the scene of the shooting.
The three were arrested on August 7, 2026, in what the DCI described as an intelligence-led operation. They were subsequently held at Ruaraka, Pangani and Gigiri police stations respectively.
Dr. Mutiso, a former Director of the African Institute of Mental and Brain Health, was shot dead on July 29, 2026, while inside a vehicle in Upper Hill, Kilimani Sub-County, Nairobi.
The killing was initially reported at Kibra Police Station under OB Number 35 of July 29, before the DCI Headquarters Homicide Investigations Bureau took over the case.
Investigators recovered two spent cartridges and two bullet fragments at the scene and submitted them for forensic analysis.
A Mini Jericho pistol bearing serial number 47302127 was later recovered and examined. The DCI says preliminary ballistic findings indicate that the recovered cartridge cases and bullet fragment are linked to the firearm.
According to investigators, the weapon had been issued to a senior police officer who is currently at large.
The DCI has also pointed to a land dispute as a possible motive for Dr. Mutiso’s killing. Investigators say she was involved in a dispute concerning L.R. Number 1504/13, a matter that is currently before a court in Machakos.
The investigation has further established that Dr. Mutiso had previously reported an alleged attempt on her life and said she had been followed before she was killed.
On July 7, 2026, she reportedly told police that two armed men on a motorcycle confronted her near Junction Mall along Ngong Road in Nairobi. The men allegedly pointed a firearm at her, but she managed to escape and later reported the incident at Kilimani Police Station.
Investigators allege that Kimoi was among the two armed men involved in the earlier incident.
Dr. Mutiso’s husband has been identified by investigators as an important witness. However, the DCI says he has not yet provided a comprehensive statement because of the trauma associated with his wife’s death.
Investigators consider his evidence important in establishing previous threats against Dr. Mutiso and identifying those who may have been involved.
The DCI has argued that releasing the suspects could expose the husband and other witnesses to intimidation or interference.
Investigators are yet to complete several aspects of the case, including tracing other firearms believed to have been used in the killing, analysing CCTV footage and call-data records, examining the vehicles and motorcycle seized in connection with the case, recording additional witness statements and determining the precise roles of each suspect.
The State also told the court that other individuals suspected of involvement remain at large and could coordinate with the arrested suspects if they were released.
The DCI therefore maintains that keeping the three suspects in custody is necessary to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigations and allow investigators to complete their work.
