A Naivasha High Court has found former United Nations (UN) employee Nicholas Koskei guilty of murdering his wife, Rhoda Mumbi Mutua, at Jacaranda Lake Elementaita Lodge in Gilgil, Nakuru County.
The court established that Koskei lured Mumbi to the lodge on July 8, 2017, under the pretense of celebrating his 36th birthday and reconciling their marital differences. However, the trip took a tragic turn when Mumbi was found dead in the bathtub of their hotel room later that night.
During the trial, lead prosecutor Nelly Maingi presented compelling evidence, including forensic reports, circumstantial evidence, and testimonies from 17 witnesses. Their accounts helped reconstruct the sequence of events leading to Mumbi’s death, ultimately linking Koskei to the crime.
Justice Richard Mwongo, delivering the judgment on March 4, 2025, ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The court determined that Koskei had meticulously planned and executed the murder with premeditated intent.
The case was prosecuted under Section 203, read with Section 204 of the Penal Code, which criminalizes intentional and unlawful killing with malice aforethought.
Following the conviction, the court ordered a pre-sentencing probation report to be submitted within 21 days.
The sentencing hearing is set for March 27, 2025, where the court will review the report along with any mitigating or aggravating factors before delivering the final sentence.
