Nairobi — A Nairobi court has ordered Rose Mbithe Mulwa and her son, Chris Mulwa, to remain in police custody for 21 days as detectives investigate the murder of clinical psychologist Dr. Victoria Nthunya Mutiso.
In its ruling, the court found that the prosecution had demonstrated a real risk of witness interference, saying the allegations presented before it warranted the suspects' continued detention to allow investigators to complete their inquiries.
"The alleged subsequent threats and the murder provide a factual basis that cannot be ignored," the magistrate ruled.
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The court held that the prosecution had established sufficient grounds to justify the custodial orders, saying the remand was necessary to prevent actual interference with witnesses and ongoing investigations.
Rose Mbithe Mulwa will be held at Kileleshwa Police Station, while Chris Mulwa will remain in custody at Kilimani Police Station pending the completion of investigations.
Dr. Mutiso was fatally shot on July 31 while travelling in a taxi along Ralph Bunche Road in Nairobi's Upper Hill on her way to work. A post-mortem conducted by Chief Government Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor established that she sustained three gunshot wounds, two to the head and one to the upper body, with severe head and chest injuries causing her death.
Court documents further indicate that 24 days before her killing, Dr. Mutiso had reported to Kilimani Police Station that she had been trailed and threatened on two occasions by two men riding a motorcycle. Investigators allege that she identified the pillion passenger in one of the incidents as Chris Mulwa, one of the suspects now in custody.
Detectives are also investigating the relationship between the suspects and the deceased. According to investigators, Rose Mulwa is the former wife of Dr. Mutiso's husband, Prof. David Musyimi Ndetei, while Chris Mulwa is their son.
Police are further examining whether Dr. Mutiso's killing is linked to the September 2025 murder of lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu, who represented Prof. Ndetei in a long-running matrimonial property dispute involving Rose Mulwa. Investigators believe both victims were allegedly trailed before they were killed.
During the detention proceedings, prosecutors argued that releasing the two suspects at this stage would jeopardize investigations, noting that several key witnesses were yet to record statements and could be intimidated or influenced.
The court agreed with the prosecution, finding that the risk of witness interference outweighed the suspects' right to immediate release pending investigations.
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The matter will be mentioned after the expiry of the 21-day custodial period, when investigators are expected to update the court on the progress of the probe and indicate whether the suspects will be charged.
