Founder and CEO of Toto Touch, Susan Kamengere Njoki.
The family of Susan Kamengere Njoki, the founder and CEO of Toto Touch, is grappling with the mystery of how a healthy woman, with no current signs of distress, ended up dead within a day of being forcibly admitted to Chiromo Group of Hospitals, Braeside branch.
A postmortem on Susan’s body on Tuesday showed she died of manual strangulation, confirming the family’s worst fears and raising disturbing questions about the events leading to her death at a Nairobi hospital.
The exercise that began at 11 am and ended shortly after 3 pm was conducted at Montezuma Monalisa Funeral Home and was led by government pathologist Dr Jn Ndung’u, with Dr PM Maturi representing the family.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) also had officers present.
“While the results of the post-mortem will be shared by the doctors, mine is to say that investigations have just commenced and will lead to getting hold of the real culprit,” said Ndegwa Njiru, the family’s lawyer.
“The process is under the hands of the DCI and we will avoid casting any aspersions that may prejudice the investigations. It has been indicated that death was occasioned as a result of man’s intervention—the details will be laid bare by the doctors,” he added.
According to Dr PM Maturi, the six doctors involved in the autopsy all came to the same conclusion.
“Susan died because of manual strangulation. In simple language, this means she was strangled,” he said.
Dr Ndung’u explained that the findings showed signs of compression on the neck, lack of oxygen in the blood and other symptoms consistent with manual strangulation.
“There are no differing opinions. Manual strangulation is always homicidal, it can never be self-inflicted,” he emphasised.
He also confirmed Susan died less than four hours after her last meal and that she passed away at the hospital, not en route.
Susan, the founder of a social impact organisation and CEO of Toto Touch, had openly shared her mental health journey and was featured in May on a national television show alongside psychiatrist Dr Frank Njenga, founder of Chiromo Hospital Group, speaking about her recovery from bipolar disorder.
On the evening of Monday, July 14, Susan posted on Facebook that she had been forcibly taken from her home in Kileleshwa and admitted to Chiromo.
Founder and CEO of Toto Touch, Susan Kamengere Njoki.
In the now-deleted post, she claimed four people - two men and two women - stormed her bedroom, pinned her down and injected her without her consent, allegedly under instructions from her husband, Alois, and her psychiatrist, Dr Onyancha.
“They ignored my questions as a patient and survivor of bipolar disorder. I did a show regarding overcoming mental illness. Dr Njenga was so proud of my progress. Now, this is the final destination, by force,” she posted.
In a voice note recorded from the hospital, Susan said her phone had been taken and she was not allowed to communicate.
“They forced me to lie down and injected me again, even after I told them I’m allergic to some medication. If death looks like this, let them take me back home,” she said.
Susan also questioned the rationale of her admission.
“As much as I have depression, or I am bipolar, that does not determine my fate. I was to see two clients that day. I was not sick. Why are you taking me back to where I came from?” she posed.
Her family supports her claims. Her aunt, Ruth, said Susan had never received treatment at Chiromo and usually sought care at Aga Khan Hospital when unwell.
Speaking at Montezuma Monalisa Funeral Home, Susan’s younger sister, Priscillah Wanjiru, said she spoke to her sister last Tuesday morning (July 15, 2025), hours before her death.
“She told me what to bring her when I visited later. But when I got to the hospital, I was denied access unless her husband gave permission. He did not pick my calls. When we came back at 2.30pm with our aunt, we were again barred,” she recalled.
“When we finally saw her, she had already died. We need justice!” she added before breaking down in tears.
Founder and CEO of Toto Touch, Susan Kamengere Njoki
The family’s lawyer, Mr Njiru, insists there are serious issues that must be addressed.
“Without any doubt, Susan was picked from her house, taken to hospital and later lost her life. This is not a natural death. The hospital must explain how she died, who accessed her and under whose instructions she was admitted,” he said.
Mr Njiru noted that while Susan’s husband and some hospital staff were initially arrested, they were later released on police bail.
“Now that the findings show someone is culpable, we ask the DCI to act expeditiously and ensure no one evades justice. Criminal proceedings must follow. If the family deems it fit, we shall also pursue civil liability against the hospital," he added.
Susan’s elder brother, Ephantus Kamengere, who raised her after their mother died in 1994, said the family is resolved to seek justice.
“The intention of forcefully taking her to hospital was there. That instruction came from the husband. We’ve agreed as a family; nobody has a right to take her body before we decide.”
The family has since instructed Montezuma Monalisa Funeral Home not to release the body to anyone without their consent. They are also considering commissioning an independent autopsy and pushing for a full inquest.
On Tuesday, Chiromo Hospital, in response to the post-mortem findings regarding Susan's death, said they recognise "the deep public concern and the gravity of the questions raised".
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Since this sudden death occurred, we are cooperating with the relevant authorities and have taken immediate steps to preserve all records and support the ongoing investigations," the hospital said in a statement on Tuesday evening.
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