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The prime suspect in two brutal murders at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), identified as Kennedy Kalombotole, remains a man of mystery as authorities admit they have no clear knowledge of his true identity.
The case has brought to light significant challenges in managing unidentified individuals within the country's healthcare and justice systems.
Kalombotole is the main suspect in the killings of two fellow patients, Gilbert Kinyua in February and Edward Maingi Ndegwa in July, both of whom were murdered within the hospital premises.
The investigation took a significant turn when detectives discovered blood-stained slippers under Kalombotole's bed in Ward 7B, which are believed to link him to both deaths.
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KNH Murder suspect Kennedy Kalombotole
In a Thursday court appearance, the state confessed its inability to verify Kalombotole's identity, as he lacks any form of identification, has no known relatives, and no known address.
This issue began before the murders, as KNH had earlier appealed to the public to help trace his family, but without success.
A magistrate has ordered that Kalombotole be detained for an additional 10 days at Mbagathi Hospital, where he will receive treatment for diabetes and convulsions under tight security.
The court denied the request to hold him at KNH, deeming it an inappropriate location given the circumstances.
According to KNH, Kalombotole was first admitted in November 2022 and, having no known home or family, remained in the hospital's custody even after his recovery.
Efforts to identify him through fingerprint scans and social media campaigns have so far been unsuccessful.
Despite the prosecution's assertions, Kalombotole's legal representatives maintain that "Kennedy" is his real name and have described the suggestion that he is an "alien" as insulting.
"Nobody can just suddenly drop down from the heavens at the age of 30 with no family, no home, no identity. But the insinuation that he is an alien is an insult," his lawyers defended.
KNH Murder suspect Kennedy Kalombotole
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This bizarre case has drawn comparisons to that of Collins Jumisi Kalushia, another suspected serial killer whose true identity remains unknown after he escaped from police custody in August 2024.
The repeated failures in such cases have intensified calls for systemic reforms in the management and security of high-risk individuals in police stations and courts.