The High Court has directed that a new psychiatric evaluation be carried out on Kennedy Kalombotole who is accused of killing another patient at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
In a statement on Thursday, October 23, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said Lady Justice Diana Kavedza instructed that a psychiatrist from KNH be granted access to the Nairobi Remand Prison to conduct a second mental evaluation of the accused.
"The High Court sitting in Kibera has ordered a fresh mental assessment for a patient accused of killing another patient at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
"Lady Justice Diana Kavedza today directed that a psychiatrist from KNH be allowed access to the Nairobi Remand Prison to conduct a second evaluation of the accused, namely Kennedy Kalombotole," the statement read.
The judge also emphasized that the prison authorities must ensure the suspect continues receiving medical care while in custody.
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"The court further instructed prison authorities to ensure that the accused continues receiving his diabetic treatment while in custody.
"The results of the second mental assessment will help determine whether Kalombotole, who has been undergoing consistent treatment for various medical conditions, is fit to stand trial," the statement added.
Kavedza scheduled the case for mention on November 13, 2025, when the court will determine whether the accused is mentally fit to stand trial.
Kalombotole, who had been admitted to KNH since December 1, 2024 is alleged to have murdered Edward Mangi Ndegwa, a fellow patient in July.
In a statement on Friday, July 18, the facility said the suspect, who has since been identified as Kennedy Kalombotole, had first been admitted to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in November 2022, before being transferred to the general ward.
KNH added that due to his lack of identification and known relatives, efforts to trace his family were unsuccessful.
"The suspect, who was a long term patient of the Hospital, had previously been admitted in November 2022 into ICU, and subsequently discharged 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," the statement continued.
KNH further disclosed that in June 2024, it had managed to discharge the suspect to a home it had secured.
However, his health deteriorated again in December 2024, prompting his readmission.
After treatment, KNH discharged him in January 2025, but the home that had initially hosted him refused to take him back.
"In June 2024, the Hospital was able to secure a home where the suspect was discharged too. However, he fell ill in December 2024 and was readmitted to KNH and discharged in January 2025.
"Upon discharge, the home that previously hosted him declined to take him back for unknown reasons. In the interim the suspect remained in KNH as we tried to look for alternative accommodation," the statement added.
KNH further confirmed that Kalombotole is a person of interest in the murder of Gilbert Kinyua who was found dead under suspicious circumstances in the facility earlier this year.
"Following the death of patient Gilbert Kinyua, the DCI flagged the suspect as a person of interest and they then advised the Hospital to hold him pending the conclusion of their investigations. The Hospital is awaiting the outcome of the previous incident," the statement further read.
KNH clarified that it never intended to house the suspect permanently, but had no other options since homes declined to take him back and the DCI took over the case.
"We emphasize that the suspect had been discharged, and the Hospital did not intend or desire to host him indefinitely. However, in the absence of alternative options and pending direction from investigative agencies, we had no choice but to continue with his stay in the Hospital," the statement added.
