Hearing date set for inquest into Dr Laban Kiptoo’s mysterious death

A hearing date has been set in relation to the murder of Dr Laban Kiptoo. The 26-year-old was found dead near the Margaret Kenyatta Mother-Baby Maternity Wing at Nakuru County Teaching & Referral Hospital, where he was working as an intern.

According to court documents seen by Mtaa Wangu, the hearing will start on July 23, 2025. A public inquest has been recommended by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to further examine the circumstances surrounding Dr Kiptoo’s death.

Dr Kiptoo’s death left many in shock, with his colleagues calling for justice following his mysterious death.

The medical student was found dead outside the hospital where he was working in January 2024.

CCTV footage obtained from a nearby club in the London area showed him socialising with friends at around 11pm on January 12, 2024, and at approximately 12:21am, he was filmed walking towards the hospital alone.

The following morning, on January 13, 2024, security guards discovered Dr Kiptoo’s body in a ditch near the hospital’s maternity wing.

A post-mortem conducted by government pathologist Dr Titus Ngulungu revealed that the cause of death was manual strangulation, with bruising evident on the neck, head, abdomen, wrists and lips.

There was an uproar among the hospital's medical staff, and protests were held in Nakuru, with health practitioners citing safety concerns and demanding a full and thorough investigation into the matter.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) highlighted the need to increase security in health facilities, and for county governments and health facilities to prioritise the safety of health workers, particularly interns, through their Secretary General, Davji Attellah.

During an interview with the Daily Nation at the time, his father, Johana Rono, said that he could not come to terms with his son's death, especially as it appears to have occurred within the confines of the hospital.