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Second murder rocks KNH: Patient found dead in same ward
Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi.
Another patient was found murdered on Thursday at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi.
The lifeless body of the patient was discovered in Ward 7B, where a similar murder occurred in February.
The man, whose identity has been withheld pending notification of his family, was found dead on his bed by doctors during a routine ward round. His head was severely injured, nearly decapitated.
It remains unclear who may have committed the murder.
Detectives from the Nairobi Area and Kilimani were called to the scene following the shocking discovery.
According to investigators familiar with the situation at the referral hospital, there was only one other patient in the ward at the time of the incident.
“They were just the two of them in this ward,” said an officer familiar with the matter.
In a statement, KNH Management said after visiting hours at around 2 pm, the patient was discovered in blood-soaked beddings.
“The patient was examined and certified dead. We are deeply saddened to confirm an incident involving the tragic death of a patient at Kenyatta National Hospital. Our thoughts and prayers are with the patient’s family during this difficult time. The hospital is working closely with law enforcement authorities and has launched an internal investigation to determine the facts surrounding the incident,” read the statement.
This latest killing has once again put a spotlight on the hospital, coming just five months after 39-year-old Gilbert Kinyua was brutally murdered inside the same ward on February 24.
Mr Kinyua's lifeless body was found on his bed with a slit neck.
He had been admitted to KNH on December 11, 2024, due to a cerebral disorder. Just days short of a month later, his body was found lying in a pool of blood in what is considered an unlikely murder scene—a hospital ward.
At the time, another patient in the same ward, also being treated for a cerebral condition, was unable to explain what transpired due to his weakened state.
A nurse who was on duty that night told detectives that she conducted a routine check within the ward at 3 am, and everything was in order. However, when she returned to Gilbert’s bed, she found his lifeless body, with a slit neck and blood splattered across the room.
Detectives from the Homicide Investigations Bureau were notified.
Upon arrival, they recovered a blood-stained kitchen knife that had been thrown from the ward’s window to the ground floor. Investigators are still seeking answers as to who committed the murder.
The detectives have been working to reconstruct the scene and have retrieved CCTV footage from areas surrounding the ward.
