Lawyer Kyalo Mbobu was brutally shot dead by two assailants on a motorbike in an attack that detectives have ruled out as a robbery. The well-planned attack, which involved eight gunshots, suggests that it was a premeditated assassination.
Police have narrowed down to two possible theories behind the killing of Nairobi lawyer Kyalo Mbobu, even as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga directed detectives to fast-track investigations and hand over the file within seven days.
Investigators believe Mr Mbobu may have been killed either over a deal gone sour or in connection with his legal work.
Detectives have already ruled out robbery as a possible motive, saying the killing appeared well-planned and executed.
“It’s clear that the killers took time to plan and even conducted surveillance on the lawyer. This can’t be a robbery incident,” a senior investigator familiar with the probe told the Daily Nation.
The DPP has also appealed to members of the public to volunteer any information that could help crack the case.
A vehicle driven by lawyer Kyalo Mbobu, after he was shot in Karen, is parked in the Nairobi Area on September 10, 2025.
Mr Mbobu was gunned down on Tuesday evening along Magadi Road in Nairobi’s Karen area, where he was headed to his home. Two assailants trailing him on a motorbike sprayed him with bullets, hitting him eight times.
Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Odour, who conducted a postmortem, said the lawyer died from excessive bleeding, with two bullets recovered from his body.
He sustained severe injuries to the spine and neck after being shot at close range.
“His spine was severely injured, and most of the bullets had entry and exit points apart from the two we recovered lodged in his chest below the arm,” Dr Oduor said.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has formed three special teams to unravel the murder.
Detectives from Lang’ata DCI will lead the probe, supported by officers from the Homicide Bureau, the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau, and the elite Operations Support Unit (OSU).
Nairobi DCI boss Benson Kasyoki has already chaired several meetings with his team to brainstorm on leads.
On Thursday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen revealed that detectives have identified persons of interest in the killing of lawyer Mbobu.
Although he did not disclose their identities, CS Murkomen assured the family of the slain lawyer that justice will be served.
A vehicle driven by lawyer Kyalo Mbobu, after he was shot in Karen, is parked in the Nairobi area on September 10, 2025.
He said officers attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are working round the clock to ensure the perpetrators are arrested and charged.
Mr Murkomen described the lawyer’s death as a sad and tragic incident, referring to the deceased as both his teacher and friend.
“We also worked together. It is regrettable to assassinate a prominent person,” he said.
According to him, the motive of the heinous act remains unclear, but he expressed interest in knowing why Mr Mbobu was targeted.
“We have been in touch with DCI since the incident happened. Persons of interest have been identified, and I am confident that the perpetrators will be brought to justice,” he added.
Speaking to journalists in Migori on Thursday, Mr Murkomen said a number of people have already come forward with information about the murder.
“I encourage more Kenyans to share what they know. Witnesses have already spoken and I am optimistic that within a short while, we will get leads,” he said.
Kenya has witnessed such killings in the past, many of which remain unsolved, especially those involving ordinary citizens.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen says the DCI detectives have identified persons of interest in lawyer Kyalo Mbobu's murder.
Mr Murkomen stressed that it is not the government’s intention to only resolve high-profile cases. He assured all families who have lost loved ones to crime that justice will be pursued.
He said the DCI will be required to account for all murder cases across the country. Officers struggling in their investigations, he added, should seek help from headquarters noting that the government is willing to allocate more resources.
“DCI should move with speed and apprehend suspects in other cases as well. I will ensure justice is served and perpetrators brought to book. All resources are being deployed to ensure this happens,” he said.
The CS also warned that criminal gangs are becoming a serious threat to national security.
The slain lawyer will be laid to rest at his Mua Hills home next Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
Family spokesperson James Maluki Mbobu told the Daily Nation that after consultations, it was resolved that Kyalo, 63, be buried at his Mua Hills home.
“We have resolved that we shall inter Kyalo at his Mua Hills home to save the family a lot of trauma and emotional stress,” said Maluki, also a Nairobi-based lawyer, during a telephone interview.
In addition, members of the legal fraternity and friends will hold meetings at All Saints Cathedral on Friday and Monday to raise funds to offset funeral expenses.
“We are grateful to fellow lawyers, friends, and the clergy who have relayed messages of condolences and prayers,” Mr Maluki said.
He added that the shooting of their second-born sibling had devastated the family and left them with many unanswered questions on “who ordered his elimination, why, and for what gain.”
Mr Maluki said his late brother had been in legal practice for the last 37 years and never disclosed to him any “contentious issue he was handling.”
A prominent Nairobi lawyer, Mathew Kyalo Mbobu, was shot and killed in his car by an assailant on a motorbike on Magadi Road in Karen.
He described his borther as a peace-loving, soft-spoken person who was not combative but deeply committed to justice.
Asked whether the family had any clue on what could have led to the attack, Maluki said:
“We have not received any information from anybody as to what could have led to his being attacked while alone in his car, driving home after the day’s work.”
He appealed to investigative agencies “not to leave any stone unturned in pursuit of justice and the truth about why he was harmed and murdered in cold blood.”
The lawyer was also representing Benjoh Amalgamated Limited in a commercial dispute with Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB). Benjoh, owned by Captain (rtd) Kung’u Muigai, a relative of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, is challenging the sale of Muiri Coffee Estate, a 443-acre property in Kiambu County, over an unpaid loan. Mr Mbobu represented Muiri Estate in the case.
Additional reporting by George Odiwour
