Kenya: Betty Bayo's Family Alleges Foul Play, Seeks DPP-Ordered Inquiry

Nairobi — The family of the late gospel singer Beatrice Wairimu Mbugua, popularly known as Betty Bayo, has petitioned the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to order a public inquest into her death, raising concerns of possible foul play.

The request dated December 9, 2025, and submitted through Omenke Andeje & Co. Advocates, asks the DPP to direct the Inspector General of Police to launch a formal inquiry. The family contends that the circumstances surrounding Bayo's passing raise serious questions.

"The family has had to go through unbearable pain in accepting the fact that the deceased, who had never exhibited any illness, would just die mysteriously," the document reads.

Bayo passed away following a battle with advanced-stage blood cancer (leukemia) and was buried on November 19. However, the family claims that prior to her death, she had shown no signs of illness and that the burial was conducted hastily.

They further allege that they were not provided with an autopsy report or access to medical records detailing her treatment.

The application lists the singer's mother, Joyce Wairimu Mbugua, as the official complainant and cites Articles 26(3), 35, and 157(4) of the Constitution as the legal basis for requesting urgent investigations.

"The family suspects an evil hand in the death of the deceased and thus demands that the Inspector General urgently institute an inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Beatrice Wairimu Mbugua--alias Betty Bayo," the letter states.

Betty Bayo's career in gospel music spanned more than a decade, earning her acclaim for her emotionally charged performances and Kikuyu-infused praise songs. She was known for connecting with working-class audiences and single mothers, drawing on her own experiences growing up in Banana, Kiambu County, as the youngest of eight siblings.

Her early life was marked by financial hardship; she left school in Form Two but later returned to complete her education.

She worked as a househelp and took on small jobs before launching her music career, which intertwined talent, faith, scandal, and redemption.

The family's request underscores lingering questions over her death, bringing the life of a beloved gospel icon back into national conversation.

Read the original article on Capital FM.