When clinical psychologist Dr. Victoria Nthunya Mutiso was shot dead near Raila Odinga Highway on July 29, the attack initially appeared to be an isolated targeted hit. However, as Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) homicide sleuths dug into the motive behind the killing, a far darker pattern emerged—one that reopened a cold case from September 2025.
Detectives are now actively probing a direct operational connection between Dr. Mutiso’s assassination and the unsolved murder of prominent city lawyer Matthew Kyalo Mbobu.
KenyaMOJA.com
The Common Thread: A Multi-Billion-Shilling Estate Battle
At the center of both killings lies a bitter, multi-decade property war over high-value real estate assets in Nairobi and Machakos County.
The dispute pits Prof. David Musyimi Ndetei (a renowned professor of psychiatry and husband to the late Dr. Mutiso) against his former wife, Rose Mbithe Mulwa, and her son, Christopher (Chris) Mulwa.
YouTube
[ THE MULTI-YEAR HIT PATTERN ]
SEPTEMBER 2025: Lawyer Matthew Kyalo Mbobu Shot Dead
(Represented Prof. Ndetei in land litigation against Rose Mbithe)
│
▼
DURING 2025–2026: Forced Demolitions & Stolen Vehicles
(Contested property in Mlolongo & Machakos)
│
▼
JULY 2026: Dr. Victoria Nthunya Mutiso Shot Dead
(Wife of Prof. Ndetei; actively managing contested estate assets)
1. The Death of Lawyer Matthew Kyalo Mbobu (September 2025)
Lawyer Kyalo Mbobu was gunned down in Nairobi under circumstances strikingly similar to Dr. Mutiso’s shooting. Mbobu was the primary legal counsel representing Prof. David Ndetei in complex, multi-million-shilling court battles against Rose Mbithe. His murder remained unsolved for nearly a year until recent breakthroughs in the Mutiso case.
2. The Death of Dr. Victoria Mutiso (July 2026)
As Prof. Ndetei’s wife, Dr. Mutiso had taken an active role in managing and protecting family properties—including a disputed residence in Mlolongo that had previously been subjected to violent break-ins, forced evictions, and property damage. She was shot dead by a contract hit squad that included serving police officers.
Comparative Case Matrix
Case Parameter Victim 1: Lawyer Matthew Kyalo Mbobu Victim 2: Dr. Victoria Nthunya Mutiso
Date of Incident September 2025 July 2026
Location Nairobi Metropolitan Area Near Raila Odinga Highway, Nairobi
Role in Dispute Legal counsel for Prof. David Ndetei Wife and estate administrator for Prof. Ndetei
Adversary Party Rose Mbithe Mulwa & Chris Mulwa Rose Mbithe Mulwa & Chris Mulwa
Suspected Motive Eliminating legal representation in land case Eliminating estate beneficiary / intimidation
Current Status Reopened under joint homicide probe 2 masterminds & 1 shooter detained; OCS fugitive
Did a Single Hit Squad Execute Both Contracts?
Forensic experts and homicide investigators are cross-referencing ballistic evidence, phone call records, and financial transaction trails between the September 2025 and July 2026 crime scenes.
DCI Director Mohamed Amin noted that the arrest of Rose Mbithe Mulwa and Chris Mulwa at their Karen residence opened up vital intelligence. Over 40 digital devices recovered during the raid are undergoing cyber-forensic analysis to determine if the Ksh 1.5 million contract payout model was also utilized in the 2025 murder of lawyer Mbobu.
The Broader Danger: When Civil Litigation Turns Deadly
The tragic link between these two cases exposes a dangerous trend in Kenya’s judicial and real estate landscapes: the escalation of land disputes from courtroom arguments to professional assassination.
When litigants bypass court injunctions and employ hitmen—especially rogue police officers with access to state firearms—it threatens the integrity of both the legal system and public safety.
As the court processes the detention applications for the primary suspects, the families of both Dr. Victoria Mutiso and lawyer Matthew Kyalo Mbobu await full accountability for all masterminds and trigger-men involved.
