Revealed: Illnesses KNH Ward Murder Suspect Is Suffering From

A newly released medical report reveals that Kennedy Kalombotole, the main suspect in the double homicide at Kenyatta Hospital, suffers from type 2 diabetes, epilepsy, and frequent seizures attributed to inconsistent medication use.

Hospital records show Kalombotole had been a long-term patient at the facility, initially admitted to the ICU in November 2022 before being moved to the general ward. After recovering, he remained at the hospital due to being homeless and lacking any known relatives.

He was eventually discharged in June 2024 after the hospital arranged shelter for him.

“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,” Dr. William Sigilai, the hospital’s acting CEO, says.

Kalombotole was re-admitted to Kenyatta Hospital in December 2024 due to illness and discharged in January 2025. However, the shelter that had previously taken him in refused to do so again for undisclosed reasons.

He is now the prime suspect in the fatal stabbings of two bedridden patients at the hospital—one in February 2025 and another in July this year.

Meanwhile, a Kibera court has ordered that he remain in custody for an additional 10 days as authorities work to confirm his true identity. According to the prosecution, Kalombotole has no identification documents, no permanent residence, and no known family. 

Kalombotole will now be held at Mbagathi Hospital as authorities navigate the delicate balance between pursuing justice and addressing mental health concerns in this complex case.

The move followed the court's ruling on Thursday, July 24, which recognised the severity of Kalombotole’s mental condition and determined that a regular police cell would be neither safe nor suitable for his detention.

“It is clear that the suspect is unwell. What I’m gathering is that it is something that requires close monitoring,” said Magistrate Daisy Mutai while delivering her ruling.

Kalombotole is facing murder charges in connection with the deaths of two fellow patients, the most recent one being 38-year-old Edward Maingi, who was recovering from a stroke. A postmortem confirmed Maingi died from severe bleeding caused by deep injuries to the throat.

During the court session, Kalombotole’s lawyers opposed his continued detention at Kilimani Police Station, arguing that it lacked proper medical facilities and that his condition was deteriorating. They asked the court to have him moved to either Mama Lucy or Mbagathi hospitals for care.

The prosecution, however, warned against sending him back to Kenyatta National Hospital—the scene of the alleged crimes—saying it would pose a serious risk to both patients and staff.

Police also informed the court that they could no longer detain him, as they lacked the necessary medication, mental health specialists, and the ability to meet his dietary and medical needs.