KNH: Suspect Behind Ward Killing Had Been Discharged in January
Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has found itself in the eye of a storm after a gruesome murder took place inside its wards. The prime suspect? A man who had already been discharged months ago.
“We never intended to host him indefinitely,” KNH clarified in a chilling statement released on Friday, July 18.
The suspect, whose identity remains partially unclear, was initially admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in November 2022. Though officially discharged, he continued to live in the hospital due to being homeless and without known relatives.
“We tried everything, from fingerprint analysis to social media pleas, to trace his identity,” the hospital stated.
Despite efforts, he lingered within KNH’s walls, becoming an unusual long-term resident. In June 2024, KNH found a home willing to host him. But fate had other plans. He fell sick again in December and was readmitted. By January 2025, he was medically discharged again—but this time, the shelter rejected him.
“We were forced to keep him as we searched for other options,” KNH added.
Then, in February 2025, a cloud of suspicion darkened his presence. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) flagged him as a person of interest in the mysterious killing of Gilbert Kinyua.
From that point, KNH was no longer just a hospital for him—it became a holding space on DCI’s request.
“We had no choice but to retain him until investigations concluded,” the statement read.
Tragically, on July 11, another patient, Edward Maingi Ndegwa, was admitted to Ward 7B. Just six days later, he was found murdered in cold blood—his neck slit.
According to investigators, a nurse last saw Ndegwa alive at 11:30 a.m. on July 17. His relative visited at noon, found him well, and left at 1:30 p.m. But by 2:00 p.m., a cleaner noticed blood pooling near his neck.
The alarm rang fast.
Detectives followed bloodied slipper prints from Ndegwa’s bed to a nearby toilet. The trail ended in a side room—the same one the suspect occupied. Inside, they found bloodied slippers, a stained bedsheet, and a knife wrapped in gloves.
The man was arrested that evening.
As Kenyans reel in shock, tough questions arise. How could a discharged, flagged suspect still roam inside Kenya’s top referral hospital?
This tragedy not only exposes KNH’s logistical constraints but also Kenya’s deep cracks in handling the homeless and mentally unwell.
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KNH: Suspect Behind Ward Killing Had Been Discharged in January
