Kenyatta National Hospital has broken its silence on the murder of a patient inside its wards, revealing that the suspect behind the killing had been discharged from the facility earlier this year but continued to live there due to lack of a place to go.

In a detailed statement released on Friday, July 18, the hospital explained that the suspect was a long-term patient with no known family or official identification and had been readmitted to KNH in December 2024 before being discharged in January 2025.

However, the home that had previously hosted him declined to take him back, forcing the hospital to keep him within the premises.

“Upon discharge, the home that previously hosted him declined to take him back for unknown reasons. In the interim, the suspect remained in KNH as we tried to look for alternative accommodation,” the statement reads.

The hospital said the suspect, who was first admitted to the ICU in November 2022 and later transferred to the general ward, had been flagged by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in connection to the killing of Gilbert Kinyua in February this year.

KNH said the DCI had advised them to hold the suspect at the hospital until investigations were completed.

“Following the death of patient Gilbert Kinyua, the DCI flagged the suspect as a person of interest and they then advised the Hospital to hold him pending the conclusion of their investigations. The Hospital is awaiting the outcome of the previous incident,” KNH added.

The latest incident happened on Thursday, July 17, when Edward Maingi Ndegwa, a male patient admitted to Ward 7B on July 11, was found dead with a deep cut on his neck. A relative had visited him earlier that day and left around 1:30 pm.

The patient was found unresponsive shortly after visiting hours ended.

According to KNH, a cleaner noticed blood seeping from the patient’s neck at around 2:00 p.m., prompting hospital staff to activate emergency protocols and notify authorities.

Detectives responded quickly, launching investigations that led to the arrest of the suspect later that evening.

Inside the facility, investigators followed blood-stained slipper prints from the victim’s bedside to a nearby toilet and then to a side room where the suspect had been staying.

A pair of blue slippers, a blood-stained bedsheet, and a knife wrapped in gloves were recovered from the scene.

“We emphasize that the suspect had been discharged, and the Hospital did not intend or desire to host him indefinitely. However, in the absence of alternative options and pending direction from investigative agencies, we had no choice but to continue with his stay in the Hospital,” said the hospital.

A postmortem will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death. KNH has extended condolences to the victim’s family and assured continued cooperation with the DCI and other agencies.

KNH also said it had tried several times to identify the suspect, including fingerprint checks and social media posts, but with no success.

“The suspect, who was a long-term patient of the Hospital, had previously been admitted in November 2022 into ICU, and subsequently discharged to the general ward. Being a homeless person with no known relatives nor proven identity, he stayed on in the Hospital even as the hospital made several attempts to identify him,” the statement noted.

The hospital has committed to provide updates as more information comes from investigative agencies.