Kenyatta National Hospital. /FILEKenyatta National Hospital has revealed that the suspect arrested over the killing of a patient was a former long-term patient who had been living within the facility after discharge.
In a statement signed by Dr William Sigilai on behalf of CEO Dr Evanson Kamuri, KNH confirmed that the deceased was a male patient admitted to Ward 7B on July 11, 2025.
The patient was found dead shortly after lunchtime visiting hours on July 17, with medical staff noting he had sustained a “deep cut to his neck.”
“The hospital activated its emergency protocol, promptly notified the patient’s next of kin and escalated the matter without delay to law enforcement agencies.”
Kamuri said that investigations led to the arrest of the suspect on Thursday.
The hospital described the suspect as a homeless person with no known relatives or proven identity, who had remained within the facility despite efforts to trace his background through fingerprint identification and social media.
According to KNH, the suspect had been admitted to the ICU since November 2022 and discharged several times, most recently in January 2025.
"In June 2024, the hospital was able to secure a home where the suspect was discharged to. However, he fell ill in December 2024 and was readmitted to KNH and discharged in January 2025," the hospital said.
It explained that upon discharge, the home that previously hosted the suspect declined to take him back for unknown reasons.
In the interim, the suspect remained in KNH as the hospital tried to look for alternative accommodation.
The hospital emphasised that it had “not intended or desired to host him indefinitely.”
It added that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had flagged the suspect as a person of interest in relation to another murder incident that occurred at the facility in February this year.
"We had no choice but to continue with his stay in the hospital. The hospital is awaiting the outcome of the previous incident."
The statement added that an autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death of the latest victim.
KNH conveyed condolences to the patient’s family, friends, and loved ones and pledged to cooperate fully with authorities and provide updates as investigations proceed.
