The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has issued a stringent seven-day ultimatum to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, demanding a comprehensive progress report on the investigation into the brutal murder of prominent lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu. The directive reveals the mounting pressure on law enforcement to swiftly bring Mbobu’s killers to justice, following a crime that has sent shock through Kenya’s legal fraternity and beyond.
Mbobu, a respected Advocate of the High Court of Kenya whose distinguished career spanned academia, public service, and private practice, was fatally shot in a drive-by incident in Karen, Nairobi. The ODPP, in a statement released on Thursday, September 11, condemned the killing and called for expedited investigations, acknowledging the efforts of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) but emphasizing the urgent need for a breakthrough.
“Accordingly, the DPP has directed the Inspector General of Police to fast-track investigations into this incident and to submit a comprehensive status update to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions within seven (7) days for review and further action,” the statement read in part.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr.Renson Ingonga gives the Inspector General of Police, Kanja 7 days to sum a comprehensive investigation report on City Lawyer Mbobu’s death.
The assassination, described by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) as having “all markings of a predetermined assassination,” occurred as Mbobu was driving home. Police confirmed he died instantly after being hit multiple times. Critical CCTV footage has since traced Mbobu’s final hours, showing him leaving his Nairobi office, attending a meeting at Sagret Hotel with individuals now considered persons of interest, and then his route through the city before the ambush near his Boyani home in Karen. Investigators are also reviewing his mobile phone records for leads.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has confirmed that progress has been made, with “some persons of interest already identified” and being interrogated. He also commended public cooperation, stating, “We thank the eyewitnesses who were at the scene and have already come forward, as well as many other Kenyans of goodwill who are providing information to the DCI.” The ODPP has backed the DCI’s appeal for public cooperation, urging anyone with relevant information to come forward without delay.
The legal community, led by the LSK, has expressed profound grief and outrage, with LSK President Faith Odhiambo stating, “Kyalo Mbobu was a fine practitioner and excellent teacher of law. The heinous crime that claimed his life must be dealt with sharply.”
