DCI probes possible link between Mutiso, Mbobu killings

The September 2025 killing of lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu has resurfaced in investigations into the murder of clinical psychologist Dr Victoria Mutiso, with detectives examining whether the two cases could be connected. 

Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin said on Friday that some of the people being investigated in connection with Mutiso's killing may also be linked to the fatal shooting of Mbobu.

“Some of the suspects involved in this incident may also be linked to the tragic drive-by shooting” of the lawyer, Amin said while giving an update on the investigation. 

Amin did not provide details of the suspected connection, saying investigators were pursuing additional leads as the probe continued.

The statement has renewed attention on the circumstances surrounding Mbobu's death, which remains under investigation.

How Mbobu was killed

Mbobu was shot dead on the evening of September 9, 2025, along Magadi Road in Nairobi while travelling home to Karen. 

He was reportedly followed by two assailants before being attacked in what was described at the time as a targeted drive-by motorcycle shooting. 

An autopsy conducted after his death found that Mbobu had sustained multiple gunshot injuries. 

Chief Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor said the lawyer had been shot eight times and died from severe bleeding. 

Two bullets were recovered from his body, while other bullets caused injuries with entry and exit wounds, according to the pathologist.

“His spine was severely injured, and most of the bullets had entry and exit apart from the two bullets we have recovered,” Oduor said.

He added: “We can say he died from severe bleeding.”

The killing prompted the Law Society of Kenya to organise a peaceful Purple Ribbon March on September 12, 2025, in protest against the shooting and what lawyers described as the killing of their colleague.

No person has been convicted over Mbobu's killing, and there is no established finding that any of the suspects in the Mutiso case was responsible for his death. 

Why investigators are examining a possible link

The possible connection has emerged in the context of Mbobu's previous legal representation of a party involved in a long-running property and court dispute that investigators are also examining in relation to Mutiso's death. 

According to information presented in court during proceedings in the Mutiso case, the DCI is investigating a family and property dispute involving Mutiso's family. 

The investigation has included the history of a previous marriage between Rose Mbithe Mulwa and Mutiso's husband. 

Court documents state that the two divorced in 2001 and had four children, including Chris Mulwa.

The DCI previously told the court that the family history was relevant to its investigation because of a property dispute involving Mutiso's family. 

Investigators referred to a case filed at the Machakos Law Courts involving land parcel LR No. 1504/13, in which Mutiso was named as the third defendant. 

The DCI alleges that the dispute later resulted in the eviction and demolition of properties belonging to Mutiso's family and that Mutiso subsequently reported receiving threats. 

The account has been disputed by the parties involved, who told the court that the eviction was carried out pursuant to a court order and was supervised by police.

The defence has also challenged the relevance of the previous marriage and the alleged motive advanced by investigators.

Mutiso's killing

Mutiso was shot dead on the morning of July 29, 2026, while travelling in a taxi along Raila Odinga Way in Nairobi.

Her death triggered an investigation by homicide detectives and other agencies. 

Investigators have since identified several persons of interest and suspects in connection with the killing. 

Two suspects, Rose Mbithe Mulwa and her son Chris Mulwa, were initially presented before court, with the DCI seeking orders allowing investigators to detain them for 30 days. 

They are currently in remand after the court granted investigators 21 days to detain them as investigations continue. 

Two other suspects, advocate Angela Mulwa and Nelson Masiga, were later presented before a Mavoko court, which also authorised their detention for 21 days. 

The defence has denied allegations arising from the case. 

The investigation has since expanded, with Amin saying serving police officers had also been identified in connection with the suspected conspiracy surrounding Mutiso's killing. 

What remains unestablished

The possible link being examined by detectives does not establish that Mbobu's killing and Mutiso's death were part of the same operation or that they were ordered by the same people. 

Amin's statement that some of the Mutiso suspects “may also be linked” to Mbobu's shooting indicates that investigators are still examining whether a connection exists. 

The two cases also remain legally distinct.

For now, Mbobu's killing is relevant to the Mutiso investigation because detectives are examining whether the earlier case may involve some of the same individuals or circumstances.

The investigations into both incidents remain ongoing. Any alleged connection will depend on evidence gathered by detectives and, where applicable, tested through the judicial process.