The murder proceedings over the death of Dr Victoria Mutiso took a dramatic turn after the three accused members of the Mulwa family raised a series of complaints over their treatment during detention.
Rose Mulwa, the first accused, together with her son and daughter, who are facing the case as the second and third accused, respectively, addressed the court on alleged physical abuse, denial of medical attention and what they described as unequal treatment by investigators.
Mulwa Details Health Problems In Custody
Mulwa told the court that her detention had taken a toll on her health, alleging that officers ordered her to be beaten and kicked while she was on the ground.
She said the alleged assault was followed by serious complications, including episodes in which she urinated blood.
Mulwa also reported losing 16 kilogrammes and experiencing heightened blood pressure during the period she was held.
Her son separately alleged that officers beat him and strangled him with a tie while he was in custody.
The family further claimed that requests for medical attention were deliberately ignored by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Family Points To Different Treatment Of Suspects
The three accused also questioned how other people linked to the investigation were handled.
They cited a person identified as Daniel, whom they described as a relative of investigator Clement, claiming he spent only four days in custody while members of the Mulwa family were held for up to 60 days.
The accused alleged that Clement repeatedly intimidated them, threatening to extend their detention indefinitely or have additional charges brought against them if they did not agree with statements investigators wanted them to make.
The family also raised allegations concerning another accused person, Elijah Kim, who they said was tortured in an attempt to pressure him into implicating Mulwa’s son as the shooter.
Accused Link Detention To Property Dispute
Beyond the murder case, the family told the court that their continued detention was affecting a separate dispute involving property.
They alleged that investigators and the prosecution were deliberately keeping them in custody to prevent them from participating in proceedings concerning an eviction and the reconstruction of title documents.
According to the accused, important proceedings in the civil matter were scheduled around October 14, and their detention was therefore preventing them from pursuing their interests in the case.
Mulwa also briefly spoke about her family background, telling the court that she had left her marriage because of domestic violence and subsequently raised her children on her own.
Prosecution To Respond To Allegations
The allegations have not been established as facts by the court and the prosecution is expected to respond to the claims raised by the accused.
Following the submissions, the court scheduled the formal hearing of the applications for October 6, 2026, with the prosecution expected to address the allegations of torture and other complaints raised during the proceedings.