The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has linked the September 2025 killing of lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu with that of Dr Victoria Nthunya Mutiso in July 2026, leading to the arrest of a police officer. The DCI named Police Constable Julius Cheruiyot as the suspected killer of Mbobu who was shot along Magadi Road, Nairobi, on September 9, 2025. According to the DCI, detectives seized a Ceska pistol which was issued to Cheruiyot at the time of the shooting. The gun was later confirmed to be the weapon used in Mbobu’s killing after a ballistic test.
“We have followed up on a leads and intensively investigated the matter over the past year before identifying and arresting Police Constable Julius Cheruiyot, who is suspected to have opened fire on the unfortunate lawyer,” the DCI said.
Mbobu, a leading attorney and former chairman of the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal was shot outside his residence as he drove back home from work. The police had earlier named Cheruiyot as the suspected gunman and named his vehicle as the one used in the shooting. The DCI said it had identified Inspector Kenneth Sang as an alleged ‘mastermind’ of the killing, but he is yet to be arrested as he remains at large. According to the investigators, he provided logistics to Cheruiyot and had been in constant communication with Rose Mbithe, who was arrested in connection with the murder of Dr Mutiso in Upper Hill, Nairobi, on July 29, 2026.
The two murders that were initially investigated separately were found to be connected. In August, DCI Director Mohamed Amin announced that detectives were following up on whether the suspects in Mutiso’s killing were also involved in Mbobu’s murder. The new developments show that the two crime scenes were related, though the motives behind the homicide remain unclear.
“There are indications that Mbobu, who was a close friend of many politicians, was killed over a property dispute. However, we have not unveiled that as the motive for his murder,” the DCI said.
Cheruiyot is yet to be arraigned in court as detectives continue with their investigations. The DCI stated that it would identify all those involved in the murder, naming and arresting them as they provide their evidence before the court. The agency reiterated that it would take action against everyone found to be responsible for Mbobu’s killing despite their affiliations or positions.
“Cheruiyot and any other suspect will be charged and present their cases in court. The finding does not amount to a conviction, but they will all be arraigned as per law,” the DCI said.