A man accused of killing two patients at Kenyatta National Hospital will remain in police custody for ten more days as authorities seek to confirm his identity and ensure he receives proper medical care.

Kennedy Kalombotole, the prime suspect in the murders that occurred inside KNH wards, appeared before Kibera Law Courts on Thursday, where Principal Magistrate Daisy Mutahi ordered his continued detention.

The court heard that Kalombotole suffers from serious medical conditions and requires treatment that is unavailable at the Kilimani Police Station, where he was being held.

“The court has considered the health condition of the suspect and the need for secure custody,” ruled Magistrate Mutahi. “He shall be detained at Mbagathi Hospital under tight security, with the OCS Kilimani ensuring full supervision.”

Kalombotole’s lawyer, Philip Maiyo, had told the court that his client, who is on medication, needs constant access to proper healthcare, including cold storage for his prescriptions.

The court was given two options for his care, KNH and Mbagathi Hospital—but rejected a return to KNH, calling it unsuitable since it is the crime scene.

The State informed the court that Kalombotole remains unidentified, with no ID, no known address, and no relatives to verify his identity. “Mr Kalombotole has no known relatives, no fixed place of residence, and does not possess any identification documents,” the prosecution stated. “It is not safe to release him at this point.”

According to medical assessments, Kalombotole suffers from type 2 diabetes, epilepsy, and recurring seizures, which have worsened due to irregular medication access.

The two murders being investigated took place within KNH this year. The first victim, Gilbert Kinyua, was killed in February, and the second, Edward Maingi Ndegwa, was found dead in July. Investigators from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations linked Kalombotole to the July murder after they discovered bloodstained slippers hidden under his bed in Ward 7B.

KNH revealed that Kalombotole had been a long-term patient at the facility since November 2022. He was first admitted to the Intensive Care Unit before being transferred 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 through fingerprint identification and also through our social media pages,” said KNH CEO William Sigilai in a statement.

In mid-2024, the hospital arranged for his transfer to a shelter. However, after falling ill, he was returned to KNH in December, and the shelter declined to accept him again.

Kalombotole will now remain under police watch at Mbagathi Hospital for treatment while the State continues efforts to verify his identity. The case will be mentioned after the 10-day detention period ends.