Autopsy reveals mental health researcher Dr Mutiso died from excessive bleeding after three gunshot wounds

Mental health researcher Dr Victoria Mutiso

A postmortem exercise on the body of prominent mental health researcher Dr. Victoria Mutiso revealed died from excessive bleeding after sustaining three gunshot wounds during a fatal shooting in Nairobi’s Upper Hill area on Wednesday.

The autopsy was conducted at the Kenyatta National Hospital Mortuary by Chief Government Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor, assisted by pathologist Bernard Midia.

Dr. Oduor said the injuries inflicted on Dr. Mutiso were fatal.

“What led to her death was severe bleeding. There were also chest injuries and head injuries because of the three gunshot wounds,” said Dr Oduor.

The pathologist disclosed that Dr. Mutiso was shot three times, with two of the bullets striking her head.

“We found that she was shot three times, twice on the head. The two bullets entered on the left side and exited on the right side,” Dr. Oduor said.

The findings provide crucial forensic evidence as detectives continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing, which has shocked the country.

Police have already arraigned two suspects in connection with the murder as investigations into the motive and circumstances of the shooting continue.

A former presidential aspirant Rose Mbithe Mulwa and her son, Chris Mulwa, were arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts over the fatal shooting of Dr Mutiso.

The two appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo on Friday but did not take a plea after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), sought orders to detain them for 30 days to allow investigators to complete inquiries into the murder.

The court will rule on Monday on the application to detain the two for 30 days pending investigations.
Dr Mutiso was married to Prof. Ndetei, Mbithe’s former husband.

The prosecution noted that Mbithe and Prof. Ndetei divorced more than 25 years ago.

Investigating officer Corporal Romana Odour told the court that detectives require more time to apprehend additional suspects believed to have participated in the killing, record statements from key witnesses, complete forensic examinations and analyse electronic and documentary evidence recovered during the investigation.

“We seek the two suspects to be detained by the DCI in custody for 30 days to allow the DCI homicide investigators to complete investigations in the case of murder in which Mbithe and Mulwa are suspects,” Corporal Odour told the court.

The prosecution requested that Mbithe be held at Kilimani Police Station and her son at Kileleshwa Police Station during the investigation period.

According to investigators, detectives have already identified the suspected gunman and the motorcycle rider believed to have carried out the shooting and are actively pursuing their arrest.

The DCI opposed the release of the two suspects on bail, arguing that the investigations are complex and that there is a significant risk of interference with witnesses, destruction of evidence and possible collusion with suspects who are still at large.

“The respondents are well known to the key prosecution witnesses. If released at this stage, there exists a real and substantial likelihood that they may interfere with, intimidate, influence or otherwise compromise the witnesses, thereby prejudicing ongoing investigations and the administration of justice,” Corporal Odour told the court.

The prosecution further argued that the murder had generated considerable public interest and that keeping the suspects in custody would also guarantee their safety while investigations continue.

Dr Mutiso, the former Director of the African Institute of Mental and Brain Health, was shot dead on July 29, 2026, while travelling in an Uber vehicle along Ralph Road in Nairobi’s Upper Hill area after being trailed by assailants riding on a motorcycle.

Investigators told the court that officers who responded to the scene recovered two spent cartridges and a bullet head, which have been submitted to the National Forensic Laboratory for ballistic examination.

Detectives have also obtained CCTV footage from the area for forensic analysis, impounded the Uber vehicle involved for examination and are analysing call data records linked to both the deceased and the suspects to establish their communications and movements before and after the shooting.

The court heard that preliminary investigations suggest the killing may have been linked to a long-running land dispute involving the deceased’s family.
Detectives also established that Dr Mutiso had previously reported receiving threats to her life and had complained of being followed by unknown men riding motorcycles before the fatal attack.

The prosecution further informed the court that Chris Mulwa was allegedly found in possession of exhibits belonging to the deceased at the time of his arrest.

Those items have also been submitted for forensic examination.

The DPP urged the court to grant the detention application, saying continued custody is necessary to allow investigators to complete the inquiry before determining whether to formally charge the suspects with murder.