City Lawyer, Presidential Aspirant Mother Linked to Dr. Mutiso Murder

Suspects in the murder case of psychologist Victoria Nthunya Mutiso, from left Chris mulwa and Rose mbithe Ndetei before principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo at milimani law courts ,they have been remanded in custody until Monday 3rd august 2026 when the court will deliver a ruling on their bond application on 31st July 2026 [David Gichuru, Standard]

Fresh details emerged in court yesterday linking a city lawyer and his presidential aspirant mother to the murder of psychologist Dr Victoria Mutiso.

Rose Mbithe Mulwa alias Rose Mbithe Ndetei, a 2027 presidential aspirant and former Machakos gubernatorial contender, is also a former husband of the late doctor's spouse.

The woman and her son Chris Mulwa, a lawyer, yesterday appeared in court but did not plead to charges as the DCI sought 30 more days to give investigators time.

In an affidavit by Corporal Romana Odour of the DCI's Homicide Bureau also sought orders that Mbithe be detained at Kilimani Police Station while her son Mulwa at Kileleshwa Police Station for the duration of the investigation

Odour told the court that detectives are yet to conclude investigations, saying they still need more time to apprehend additional suspects believed to have participated in the killing, record statements from key witnesses, undergo a mental assessment,  complete pending forensic examinations and analyse electronic and documentary evidence recovered during the investigation.

The investigating officer further disclosed that detectives have already identified the suspected gunman and the motorcycle rider believed to have carried out the shooting and are actively pursuing their arrest.

the former Director of the African Institute of Mental and Brain Health was shot on Wednesday while travelling in taxi along Ralph Bunche Road in Nairobi's Upper Hill area after being trailed by unknown assailants riding on a motorcycle.

Detectives recovered two spent cartridges and a bullet head from the scene, now with the National Forensic Lab, alongside CCTV footage and call data records still under analysis.

The affidavit traces the case to a long-running land dispute involving the deceased's family as a preliminary line of investigation, referencing a civil suit filed by Mbithe at the Machakos Law Courts over a parcel of land on which the deceased was listed as a defendant.

The disputed parcel sits within the Mlolongo Weighbridge area of Athi River Sub-County and is the subject of a separate DCI Mlolongo inquiry opened this year.

Machakos court records list Dr Mutiso as the third defendant in the suit which Mbithe filed over the multi-billion land, which the DCI says culminated in the eviction and demolition of the deceased's family property there. 

Further, the DCI informed the court that the deceased doctor had reportedly begun receiving threats and being trailed by unknown men on motorbikes shortly afterward, including an incident on July 7, 2026, in which she narrowly escaped an attempt on her life along Ngong Road, and another incident on

July 27, 2026, days before she was shot dead on July 29 while travelling in an Uber along Ralph Bunche Road in Upper Hill.

Investigators further disclosed that Rose Mbithe is the deceased's husband's ex-wife, the two having divorced over 20 years ago after having four children, among them Chris Mulwa.

The court heard that Mbithe had been married to Prof David Musyimi Ndetei before the two divorced in 2001, with Ndetei later marrying the deceased doctor as his second wife.

Officer Odour informed the court that Mbithe's son who is a second born was reportedly found in possession of exhibits belonging to the deceased at the time of his arrest ,which detectives believe he may have shared with the gunmen beforehand.

The DCI detective also opposed the release of Mbithe and Mulwa on bail, arguing that the investigations are complex and that there is a high risk of interference with witnesses, destruction of evidence and collusion with suspects who are yet to be arrested.

"The respondents are well known to the key prosecution witnesses. If released at this stage, there exists a real and substantial likelihood that they may interfere with, intimidate, influence or otherwise compromise the witnesses, thereby prejudicing ongoing investigations and the administration of justice," the investigating officer told the court.

The DCI detective further argued that continued detention is necessary to preserve the integrity of the investigations and enable detectives to pursue all leads before making a decision on the appropriate charges.

"The murder of Dr. Mutiso has generated public outcry. It is therefore in the respondents' own safety interests that they remain in custody, while also ensuring they do not interfere with witnesses," the state prosecutor also submitted.

Opposing bail, the prosecution argued that the deceased's husband, also the Mbithe's ex-husband, is a central identifying witness who remains too traumatised to record a full statement, and warned that releasing the respondents risked compromising his evidence and exposing other family witnesses to intimidation.

The state also cited the risk that the pair could interfere with as-yet-unidentified suspects, including the gunman and motorcycle rider still at large.

The suspects were represented by a defence team led by Danstan Omari, Cliff Ombeta and Shadrack Wambui, who urged the court to release the two on bond, arguing they had fully cooperated with investigators, had no passports on record, and posed no flight risk.

Counsel proposed daily reporting to Adi Police Station as a bail condition, and argued that the first respondent's age and standing, together with the second respondent's status as a practising advocate, weighed in favour of release.

In dramatic submissions, advocate Angela Mulwa, who has 26 years' experience at the Bar, urged the court to release her mother and brother on bail pending investigations into the murder of her stepmother, Dr. Victoria Mutiso.

Angela argued that both suspects had fully cooperated with investigators and posed no flight risk. She urged the court to consider her mother's advanced age, her status as a 2027 presidential aspirant, former gubernatorial aspirant and political party leader, as well as the fact that she divorced the deceased's husband more than two decades ago, arguing that this weakened any suggestion of a longstanding motive.

She also accused police of conducting an unlawful and intimidating night raid at the family's Karen home.

According to Angela, more than 20 plainclothes officers, some wearing masks, stormed the residence at about 11 p.m. on July 29 without identifying themselves or disclosing the authority under which they were acting. She said the officers remained at the home for nearly five hours before taking her mother, Rose Mbithe, and brother, Chris Mulwa, into custody.

She told the court that despite repeated requests by family members, including herself, her mother, two siblings and household staff, the officers refused to identify themselves.

She further alleged that officers assaulted those who resisted the operation and confiscated vehicle keys to prevent relatives from following the suspects after they were taken away.

Angela further claimed that unmarked police vehicles remained parked outside the family's compound for several days after the arrests.

 She said officers later informed the family they were searching for a "murder weapon," but the search was stopped after senior counsel intervened, arguing that it could not lawfully proceed in the absence of the suspects or their advocates.

However, Magistrate Onsarigo detained lawyer Mulwa and his mother Mbithe  until Monday 3pm next week when the court is expected to rule on an application by the DCI seeking to detain them for 30 days more to complete investigations.

The magistrate has ordered lawyer Mulwa to be detained at Kileleshwa Police Station while his mother Mbith will be held at Kilimani Police Station.

"Following the lengthy submissions, which lasted over four hours, the two suspects will remain in police custody pending my ruling on Tuesday," the magistrate ruled. 

Magistrate Onsarigo further directed that should either of the two suspects require any medication, their family members are at liberty to provide the same through the Officers Commanding Station (OCS) of the respective police stations.

The court also allowed the two suspects to have unrestricted access to their respective advocates while in police custody.