By Valentine Omondi
Three suspects, including a police constable, have been arrested in connection with the murder of lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu, more than a year after he was gunned down along Magadi Road in Nairobi.
Police Constable Julius Cheruiyot, motorcycle rider Nicholas Lemiso Naula and Noah Kipkirui Langat are currently in custody as detectives intensify investigations into the September 9, 2025, killing.
The arrests mark a major development in a case that had remained unresolved for a year, with Mbobu’s family repeatedly calling for investigators to establish who was behind his death.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) says Cheruiyot has been identified as the suspected gunman following a year-long investigation.
Detectives also recovered a Ceska pistol issued to Cheruiyot, with DCI Director Mohamed Amin saying ballistic examinations established that the firearm matched the weapon used in Mbobu’s killing.
Investigators widen the dragnet
Naula, a boda rider, was arrested in Nairobi’s Central Business District and is accused by investigators of transporting Cheruiyot to and from the scene of the murder.
Langat was also arrested in Nairobi and is being investigated over allegations that he conducted surveillance on Mbobu before the fatal shooting.
With the three suspects now in custody, detectives are pursuing additional leads and seeking to establish whether other people were involved in the killing.
The DCI said the investigation remains active as detectives work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the murder and identify all those who may have played a role.
The latest arrests come after Mbobu’s family marked the first anniversary of his death on September 9, 2026, with relatives and friends gathering at the family home in Mua Hills.
At the time, the family said it was still waiting for a definitive account of the progress of investigations and called on security agencies to intensify efforts to identify those responsible.
Mbobu was attacked on his way home
Mbobu was shot dead on September 9, 2025, as he drove home towards Karen after leaving his office.
According to initial police accounts, two men on a motorcycle followed his vehicle before opening fire and fleeing from the scene. Detectives treated the incident as a targeted killing, although the motive was initially unclear.
An autopsy conducted after the killing established that Mbobu had been shot eight times and died from severe bleeding.
Chief Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor said the bullets caused severe injuries, including damage to Mbobu’s spine, with two bullets recovered from his body.
At the time, detectives examined CCTV footage, mobile phone records and other forensic evidence as they sought to reconstruct the events leading to the shooting.
Investigators also questioned people who had interacted with Mbobu shortly before his death and examined his professional and personal dealings as they pursued possible leads on the motive.
Investigation linked to wider murder probe
The latest investigation has also brought Mbobu’s killing into focus alongside the July 29, 2026, murder of Dr Victoria Nthunya Mutiso in Upper Hill.
According to DCI investigations, the two cases may have a connection involving a property dispute. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the two killings, although the alleged links remain subject to ongoing investigations and court proceedings.
Mbobu had represented the late Professor David Musyimi Ndetei in legal proceedings involving Ndetei’s former wife, Rose Mbithe Mulwa. Mutiso had later married Ndetei.
Several suspects have been arrested in connection with Mutiso’s murder, including members of her family and police officers, while investigators continue to pursue other leads.
The latest arrests represent a significant development in a case that had remained without a publicly identified suspect for a year.
