DCI intensifies probe two weeks after assassination of lawyer Kyalo Mbobu

Two weeks after the killing of lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu, detectives say they are pursuing crucial leads that could soon unmask the gunmen behind the Magadi Road shooting.

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohamed Amin has assured the public that the suspects will be apprehended soon, calling for patience as investigations continue.

He noted that progress has been slow due to the lack of video evidence, as the stretch where Mbobu was attacked on September 9, is not adequately covered by CCTV cameras.

Fourteen days later, the drive-by shooting remains a riddle, with investigators believing the assailants were hired hitmen.

Mohamed expressed confidence that the culprits would be caught soon, urging the public to remain patient.

“We’re pursuing good leads and are likely to make arrests very soon,” Mohamed said on Sunday.

Mbobu was laid to rest last Wednesday at a tightly guarded memorial service where grief and outrage were palpable, and his family publicly denounced the killers. The service, held at St John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Karen, Nairobi, took place under tight security, with cameras barred and journalists asked to leave.

His widow, Anne Kyalo Mwende, spoke emotionally over their 33-year journey together.

“Every day before work, he would kiss me goodbye and say, ‘Thank you, honey, I appreciate you,’” she recalled.

Her grief turned to outrage as she described how she learned of his death.

“My son saw it on TV before I did. Social media told me my husband was gone. That was cruel,” she said, accusing online platforms and some media outlets of spreading misleading claims.

“We don’t know anything about what people are saying out there. Please, just be sensitive.”

Mbobu’s elder sister, Elizabeth Ngau, described the family’s torment in demanding justice.

“For those who did this, let there be no peace,” she said.

The memorial drew high-profile attendees, including Chief Justice Martha Koome, retired Chief Justice David Maraga, First Lady Rachel Ruto, Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo, former Attorney General Amos Wako and political leaders Eugene Wamalwa and Kalonzo Musyoka. The politicians were not allowed to speak.

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Chief Justice Koome urged security agencies to act swiftly to curb the rising trend of gangland-style killings. She called on Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and the DCI to “pursue all leads and ensure that the perpetrators of the heinous murder are brought to justice.”

She highlighted that the killing came just months after the murder of Kasipul MP Ong’ondo Were near the City Mortuary in April 2025.

“The brutal murder of such a distinguished jurist and scholar is not only a personal tragedy for his family but also a grievous assault on the values of justice, democracy, and the rule of law that he so faithfully upheld,” she said.

Koome, who studied with Mbobu at both the University of Nairobi and the Kenya School of Law, described him as “a humble, generous and professional person in all his dealings as an advocate,” highlighting his scholarship and his authorship of the widely cited book The Law and Practice of Evidence.

Family spokesman and Mbobu’s brother, James Maluki, said the family is desperate to know the motive behind the killing.

“All the family needs is to know why this happened and to see justice for our brother, who was a peace-loving person and a beacon of hope for us,” he said.

First Lady Rachel Ruto also assured the family of government support.

“We will walk with you as a family in this journey. We have been very close and we are here to support you in whatever you are going to do,” she said, pledging the backing of President William Ruto.