Probe into Kenyatta National Hospital patient murder underway- Murkomen

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has stated that investigations into the killing of a patient at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) are still underway.

While addressing the National Assembly Security Committee on Tuesday, Murkomen gave his assurance that those responsible will face justice.

"The inquiry is still in progress, and once concluded, anyone found responsible will be charged in court," he told the committee.

His remarks were in response to a question from Nyeri Member of Parliament Rahab Mukami, who had requested an official statement regarding the incident.

In his briefing, Murkomen gave a detailed account of the case, explaining that Gilbert Kinyua Muthoni was killed on February 7, 2025, inside the neurology ward of KNH—specifically at Level 7B, in the male section, group C, cube two.

The matter was reported at the Capitol Hill Police Station, leading to the deployment of homicide detectives and forensic experts from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to examine the scene.

"The victim had a deep wound on his throat, and his bedding was drenched in blood," Murkomen said.

He added that the room had two beds, confirming that the deceased was sharing the space with another patient at the time.

Murkomen reported that investigators observed blood droplets on the floor, creating a trail from the victim’s bed to the bed of a neighboring patient.

They also came across what appeared to be blood stains on the open black sandals worn by the victim’s roommate.

In addition, investigators found what looked like blood residue beneath the patient’s fingernails.

During an extended search, a kitchen knife—believed to be stained with blood and featuring a plastic handle—was discovered on the rooftop of a nearby building, which is directly aligned with the deceased's room.

"All the suspected blood samples, including those from the floor, footwear, fingernails, and the knife, were collected via swabs and submitted to the Government Chemist in Nairobi on February 7, 2025, for detailed forensic examination," Murkomen stated.

He added that surveillance footage from Ward 7B had also been secured for further analysis.

Authorities recorded statements from several key individuals, including on-duty nurses, security staff, a cleaner, and another patient who was in the same ward at the time.

A postmortem examination was carried out on February 20, 2025, to determine the precise cause of death.

Additional samples were taken for DNA and toxicology analysis, though the final results are still awaited.

Preliminary DNA testing, completed on February 25, confirmed that the blood samples collected from the knife and floor matched the DNA profile of the deceased.

According to Murkomen, no foreign DNA was detected beneath the roommate’s fingernails, and only faint traces of human blood were found on the roommate’s sandals.

Furthermore, the DNA results showed that the roommate's genetic material was absent from all tested evidence.

Murkomen noted that some forensic investigations remain ongoing at both the Government Chemist and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) forensic laboratory.

Once the probe is finalized, the investigation file will be submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for evaluation and appropriate legal action.

The Cabinet Secretary also disclosed that the government is working to improve safety across medical facilities nationwide.

Measures being considered include urging hospitals to formulate comprehensive safety and security policies, installing CCTV systems and scanners, and increasing the presence of law enforcement officers in health institutions.

He stressed that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is giving top priority to the probe into Gilbert Kinyua’s death.

Murkomen further appealed to hospital administrators, staff members, and patients to come forward with any relevant information, encouraging them to use the DCI’s toll-free hotline—0800 722 203.

He assured that all tips would be treated with strict confidentiality and that whistleblowers would be protected.