The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has approved murder charges against five suspects accused of killing lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbolu. The suspects are politician Rose Mbithe Mulwa, her two children, Chris Mulwa and Angela Mulwa, and two police constables, Julius Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Kennedy Kipkemei Borboroi. They are set to face charges in connection with the fatal shooting of Mbolu on September 9, 2025, in Nairobi.
Mbolu, a renowned lawyer, university lecturer, and author, was allegedly ambushed and fatally shot in his car while driving along Lang'ata/Magadi Road in Nairobi. The killing sparked widespread outrage and grief across Kenya's legal fraternity, prompting the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to demand a swift, transparent, and thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice.
Suspects Cheruiyot and Borboroi were arraigned before Justice Diana Kavedza at the High Court in Kibera but did not take a plea. The court directed that they undergo a mental assessment at Mbagathi Hospital. Justice Kavedza also directed the production of Ms. Mbithe and Ms. Mulwa, who are remanded at Lang'ata Women's Prison, and Mr. Mulwa, who is at Nairobi Remand and Allocation Prison.
The five suspects are scheduled to take a plea on October 27, 2026, after the court receives the mental assessment report. Mbithe, Mulwa, and Mr. Mulwa are separately charged with the murder of Dr. Victoria Mutiso. The DPP's approval of the charges comes after a critical breakthrough in the high-profile murder investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation.
In an intelligence-led operation conducted within Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD), detectives cornered Nicholas Lemiso Naula, a suspect believed to have played a pivotal logistical role in the violent crime. According to investigators, Lemiso served as the Boda Boda rider who ferried the principal hitman directly to and from the crime scene on the night of the shooting.
The brutal nature of the killing sparked widespread outrage and grief across Kenya's legal fraternity. The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) demanded a swift, transparent, and thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice. The DPP's approval of the charges is a significant step towards ensuring that justice is served in the case.
The case has raised concerns about the involvement of police officers in criminal activities. The two police constables, Cheruiyot and Borboroi, are among the suspects charged in connection with the murder. The court has directed that they undergo a mental assessment, and their plea will be taken on October 27, 2026.
Key points
- Five suspects, including a politician and two police constables, to face murder charges over the fatal shooting of lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbolu in Nairobi.
- The suspects are set to face charges in connection with the fatal shooting of Mbolu on September 9, 2025, in Nairobi.
- The DPP's approval of the charges comes after a critical breakthrough in the high-profile murder investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation.
