Mbagathi Hospital declines to admit KNH murder suspect Kennedy Kalombotole despite court order
According to Maiyo, the hospital had already refused to admit the suspect a day earlier, claiming that test results did not warrant admission, though no formal medical report was given
Mbagathi Hospital has ignored a court order requiring them to admit the main suspect in the two murders at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), even as his health continues to deteriorate.
This was revealed by the patient’s lawyer, Philip Maiyo, who said that despite collapsing and convulsing while in the corridors of Mbagathi Hospital, Kennedy Kalombotole was not admitted to the hospital.
“On Saturday, around 8:00 pm, Kalombotole collapsed and began convulsing at the hospital. Yet, even then, they declined to admit him,” Maiyo shared with a local daily.
According to Maiyo, the hospital had already refused to admit the suspect a day earlier, claiming that test results did not warrant admission, though no formal medical report was given.
He said that despite there being orders for the hospital to let in his client, the officer in charge refused to admit him.
“The court order is clear. Despite this, the hospital has refused to comply. On Saturday, we pressed again for admission, but the officer in charge declined,” he stated.
He added that the hospital disregarded opinions from other doctors who had advised that Kalombotole needed urgent medical attention.
Maiyo said the hospital insisted that the suspect could be treated at the casualty unit and discharged without being admitted.
“They claim their medical opinion supersedes the court order. This is not only incorrect but also dangerous,” Maiyo claimed.
Kalombotole’s lawyer refuted a statement by Mbagathi Chief Executive Officer that he had been admitted.
The suspect is currently confined at the Mbagathi hospital casualty ward under the watch of armed police officers who declined to take him back to custody.
“He is not admitted. Staff at the casualty insist that he should leave. He remains there because the police will not take him back,” he said.
Maiyo criticized the hospital for prioritising image management over its duty of care, saying the suspect’s constitutional rights under Article 43, which provides access to medical services, were violated.
“Kalombotole remains innocent until proven guilty. He has not been formally charged and deserves to be treated like any other Kenyan. If the hospital disagrees with the court order, they should apply for it to be varied, but only after complying,” he said.
Kalombotole is currently confined to the casualty ward under armed police guard, with officers declining to take him back into custody.
This comes after last week, the court allowed the suspect to be detained for ten more days pending investigations into his alleged murder of another patient at KNH.
