Former politician Rose Mbithe Mulwa and her son, Chris Mulwa, will stay in police custody over the weekend as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) requests a 30-day extension to continue probing the fatal shooting of Dr Victoria Nthunya Mutiso.
The two appeared before Milimani Chief Magistrate's Court on Friday following their arrest in connection with the murder of Dr Mutiso, the former Director of the African Institute of Mental and Brain Health.
Dr Mutiso was shot dead on July 29 by unidentified gunmen while travelling in an Uber in Nairobi's Upper Hill area. Preliminary investigations reveal that the killing is tied to a prolonged land dispute between the deceased and Rose Mbithe concerning property in Athi River.
The dispute had led to a civil suit at Machakos Law Courts and the demolition of Dr Mutiso's family property. After the demolition, Dr Mutiso reportedly received death threats and was followed by men on motorcycles.
Incidents include an attempted shooting on July 7 near Junction Mall, where two men on a motorcycle allegedly pointed a firearm at her. She survived and reported the attack to Kilimani Police Station, later identifying Chris Mulwa as the pillion rider. Another incident on July 27 involved unknown men trailing her on a motorcycle just days before her death.
The DCI is conducting further investigations involving forensic analysis of CCTV footage, call data records, ballistic evidence, and the Uber vehicle. A post-mortem examination is also pending.
During Chris Mulwa's arrest, police recovered items believed to belong to Dr Mutiso, which are undergoing forensic tests. Authorities warn that releasing the suspects now could jeopardize the investigation, citing risks of collusion with other suspects still at large.
The court has ordered that Rose Mbithe and her son remain in custody until August 3, when a ruling will be made on the DCI's application for extended detention. The investigation file will subsequently be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions for possible charges related to murder and land fraud.
