A Kibera court on Tuesday postponed the arraignment of a man accused of killing patients at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) to October 22, 2025, after his lawyers disputed a psychiatric report that found him mentally fit to stand trial.
Justice Diana Kavedza, who is presiding over the case, said she would decide whether to order a second psychiatric evaluation as requested by defence lawyer Joshua Ombengi.
“I urge this court to defer plea taking until we get a second opinion about Kalombotole’s mental fitness to stand trial,” Ombengi pleaded.
The defence team rejected the psychiatric report presented on September 30, 2025, and insisted that another evaluation must be conducted before their client can answer to the charges.
Kalombotole first appeared in court in July, when Justice Kavedza directed him to undergo a mental assessment before responding to charges brought by Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga.
However, when the matter returned to court on September 30, he was not ready to take a plea. Kalombotole attended the proceedings virtually from prison remand.
Kalombotole faces a murder charge over the death of 54-year-old Gilbert Kinyua Muthoni, who was found dead at Kenyatta National Hospital’s (KNH) Ward 7B on July 17, 2025. Investigators allege that the killing happened shortly after visiting hours, and hospital staff discovered the body at about 2 p.m. that same day.
Detectives are also investigating Kalombotole in connection with the death of another KNH patient on February 7, 2025. The police are treating the incident as murder, though investigations are ongoing.
According to court papers, Kalombotole was admitted to KNH on December 1, 2024, with seizures and was discharged two days later by the doctors. His background also shows treatment of the same condition at Nairobi Women’s Hospital.
During the investigation, police indicated that they had managed to recover some of the exhibits suspected to be related to the offenses, including a pair of blue slippers, a blood-stained bedsheet, and a knife covered with gloves. The exhibits were taken by the officers to the National Forensic Laboratory for analysis.
The prosecution opposed the defence’s request to release Kalombotole on bond, arguing that he has no fixed address and poses a flight risk. The prosecutors also warned that granting him bail would undermine the case because he would interfere with witnesses.
Justice Diana Kavedza deferred plea taking to allow for further clarification of the accused’s state of mind, citing the need to ensure that he is mentally fit to stand trial.
The court scheduled the next mention of the case for October 22, 2025, when the judge will decide whether to uphold the existing psychiatric report declaring Kalombotole fit or order a fresh assessment before plea taking begins.
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