Founder and CEO of Toto Touch, Susan Kamengere Njoki.
Even before breathing her last on a hospital bed after being strangled by an unknown person, Susan Njoki Kamengere, the founder and CEO of Toto Touch, had repeatedly expressed fears for her life.
Her ominous premonition now haunts her family, who are demanding justice after a post-mortem revealed she was killed by manual strangulation.
The death of the 48-year-old entrepreneur, within 24 hours of her admission to Chiromo Group of Hospitals’ Braeside branch, has raised disturbing questions and triggered a police investigation.
Susan, a mental health advocate and mother of three, was not only a respected health professional but also a woman on the cusp of a major career breakthrough. She had recently secured a senior position with a European firm and was in the process of finalising travel documents.
Her brother, Ephantus Kamengere, said Susan had told him in April, during a visit to their home in Leshau, Nyandarua County, that if she were to die, she should be buried next to their mother.
“That request shocked me… but it made sense later; she feared something terrible was coming,” Mr Kamengere recalled.
She had also shared with her siblings that her marriage of 19 years had deteriorated. The relationship had, according to family members, turned cold and emotionally distant.
The post-mortem on her body, conducted on Tuesday at Montezuma Monalisa Funeral Home, showed she died of manual strangulation. Government pathologist Dr JN Ndung’u, who led the procedure, confirmed the findings alongside five other doctors, including Dr PM Maturi, who represented the family. Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations were also present.
“Susan died of manual strangulation. All six of us reached the same conclusion,” Dr Maturi said.
“There were signs of compression on her neck and a lack of oxygen in her blood – classic symptoms of strangulation. This kind of death is always homicidal, never suicidal. It cannot be self-inflicted,” Dr Ndung’u elaborated.
Founder and CEO of Toto Touch, Susan Kamengere Njoki
He added that Njoki died less than four hours after her last meal – likely breakfast at the hospital – placing her time of death between 12.30 pm and 1 pm, a time when patients usually go for lunch, leaving her exposed to her assailant. This timeline matches the account from her younger sister, Priscillah Wanjiru, who said she spoke with Susan that morning and later attempted to visit her.
“She asked me to bring her some items,” Wanjiru said. “But when I got to the hospital, I was denied entry unless her husband approved. He didn’t answer my calls. When we came back at 2.30 pm with our aunt, we were again barred – but eventually allowed in – and by then, she had already died. We need justice!”
A certified nurse who had worked at Nairobi Hospital and CIC Insurance, Njoki later founded Toto Touch, a Nairobi-based enterprise offering prenatal and breastfeeding support services.
Her work had earned her national recognition, including a feature in May 2025 on a local TV show with psychiatrist Dr Frank Njenga (the founder and chairman of Chiromo Group of Hospitals), where she spoke about her recovery from bipolar disorder.
On the evening of Monday, July 14, Susan posted a disturbing message on Facebook claiming she had been forcibly taken from her Kileleshwa home and admitted to Chiromo Hospital against her will. She alleged that four individuals – two men and two women – stormed her bedroom, pinned her down, and injected her without her consent.
“They ignored my questions as a patient and survivor of bipolar disorder. I did a show on overcoming mental illness. Dr Njenga was so proud of my progress. Now, this is the final destination, by force,” she wrote.
In a voice note later shared with the family, Susan said her phone had been confiscated and she was being sedated against her will.
Despite her mental health history, her family insists Susan was not in crisis.
“She had appointments scheduled. She was stable,” her aunt, Ruth, said, adding that Susan typically sought treatment at Aga Khan Hospital, not Chiromo Group of Hospitals.
The family’s lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru, said that while Susan’s husband and some hospital staff were briefly arrested, they were later released on police bail.
“Criminal proceedings must follow. If the family sees fit, we will also pursue civil liability against the hospital.”
Meanwhile, Chiromo Group of Hospitals issued a statement acknowledging the gravity of the situation.
“We recognise the deep public concern and the gravity of the questions raised. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Since the sudden death occurred, we are cooperating with authorities and have preserved all records to support investigations,” the hospital said.
Detectives from Kabete Police Station, where the case is being handled, said they were still piecing together information.
