A series of murder cases in Mombasa County involving a single suspect once sparked widespread concern over Kenya’s criminal justice system, after he was linked to the killings of two women years apart.
Robert Waliamua Kinisu first came into focus in 2016 when he was accused of murdering Janet Adhiambo at her residence in Mombasa.
Prosecutors at the time told the court that he killed the victim before accessing her mobile phone and withdrawing money shortly after the incident.
The evidence led to his conviction in 2018, when he was sentenced to death.
However, the case later took a dramatic turn. In 2019, the Court of Appeal overturned the conviction, resulting in his release after serving about a year in prison.
The decision drew attention in later years following his re-arrest in connection with another killing.
In 2021, Kinisu was again implicated in the murder of businesswoman Jacqueline Ngina Kitheka in Mtwapa, Kilifi County. Investigators said the victim was killed inside her house between May 3 and May 6, before her body was hidden in a wardrobe in what authorities described as an attempt to conceal the crime.
Court proceedings at the time indicated that the prosecution relied on both forensic and circumstantial evidence.
Phone records reportedly placed the suspect in contact with the victim prior to her death, including messages alleged to have contained threats.
Witnesses also testified that he sold household items believed to have been stolen from the victim’s home soon after the incident.
Police said they traced and arrested him in Mtwapa using mobile phone data. During the trial, at least 11 prosecution witnesses testified, linking him to the crime through recovered items and transaction trails.
The High Court later ruled that a prima facie case had been established, requiring him to defend himself against the murder charge.
The similarities between the two incidents — both involving female victims, alleged robbery, and disposal of stolen property — had raised public concern.
The second case also pointed to possible premeditation, with claims of threats and concealment of the body.
At the time, the cases intensified debate around appellate decisions and the monitoring of suspects released after serious convictions, placing renewed focus on public safety and justice reforms in Kenya