- Kennedy Kolombotole is currently in police custody, being considered the main suspect in the killing of a patient at Kenyatta National Hospital.
- KNH stated that the man lived within the hospital grounds, as he was homeless and had no known family.
- He is accused of killing two patients five months apart; the deceased victims were killed in the same manner.
New viewpoints regarding the death of a patient at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) keep coming to light as authorities deepen their investigation.
Edward Maingi Ndegwa died within the 7B unit on Thursday, July 17.
He was discovered in a pool of blood, having a severe wound on his neck.
The individual named Kennedy Kolombotole was taken into custody right away.
Why was the murder suspect permitted to remain at KNH?
It was later revealed that the suspect remained within the KNH area even after being released.
In its reasoning for why Kolombotole extended his time at the hospital, where he is alleged to have killed two patients, the hospital stated that the individual was homeless and had no identifiable family.
"A suspect, who had been a long-term patient at the hospital, was admitted to the ICU in November 2022 and later moved to the general ward. As a homeless individual with no known family or confirmed identity, he remained in the hospital despite multiple efforts by the facility to identify him using fingerprint technology and through their social media platforms," stated a statement from KNH chief executive officer William Sigilai.
The hospital's administration took it upon themselves to find a place where he resided.
He would continue to be admitted to the hospital each time he became sick.
The final time Kolombotole was admitted to KNH was in December of last year.
He was released following his treatment, but the individuals who had previously accommodated him declined to welcome him back.
The medical facility let him remain there while they determined his next destination.
"He became ill in December 2024 and was readmitted to KNH, being released in January 2025. After being discharged, the home that had previously cared for him refused to accept him back for undisclosed reasons. During this time, the suspect stayed at KNH while we searched for other housing options," stated KNH.
At a certain time, the hospital revealed his identity, but failed to locate his relatives.
His time there went smoothly until February of this year, when another patient was discovered murdered in the same ward where Maingi was killed yesterday.
What mistake did DCI make in the first KNH murder?
During their initial investigation, the DCI identified Kolombotole as a person of interest, causing fear among the hospital's administrators, who then hesitated to keep him as a patient.
Normally, if a person was identified as a suspect in a murder, the man would have been arrested by the police.
The authorities overlooked that point and requested the hospital to keep him accommodated while the inquiry remained ongoing.
"After the passing of patient Gilbert Kinyua, the DCI identified the suspect as a person of interest and subsequently informed the hospital to detain him until the investigation is complete," the hospital stated.
He remained there despite the hospital's worries about his status as a person accused of murder and the risk he presented to others.
"We stress that the suspect had been released, and the hospital did not wish or plan to keep him for an extended period. Nevertheless, without other alternatives and while awaiting instructions from the investigation authorities, we had no alternative but to keep him in the hospital," KNH stated.
Who uncovered the murder of the KNH patient?
The killing of Maingi was uncovered by a janitor in the hallway who noticed a path of blood.
It resulted in ward 7B, where the patient was discovered unconscious.
There was a severe wound on the neck, indicating foul play.
The hospital's administration notified the detectives who were stationed at the location.
Having assembled the information collected at the site, they focused their attention on Kolombotole as the primary suspect.
Nevertheless, the investigators mentioned that their effort to strengthen their case against the suspect faced a challenge when they discovered that the CCTV cameras near the crime location were not functioning during the time of the murder.
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