Professor David Ndetei, the husband of the late Dr. Victoria Mutiso, has asked the court not to release the five people accused of killing his wife on bail, among them his ex-wife, Rose Mbithe Mulwa, and his children, Chris Mulwa and Angela Mulwa, on bail and bond terms.
Ndetei told the court that releasing the accused could expose him, his family and prosecution witnesses to intimidation and interference.
In an affidavit filed before the court, the renowned psychiatrist said he had been directly affected by the case and alleged that he had received threats from some of the accused before his wife’s death.
Ndetei also described Mulwa as an “imperious individual” and alleged that she had repeatedly threatened him.
Prof David Ndetei has ultimately asked the court to reject the accused persons’ bail application and order that they remain in custody until the murder case is heard and determined.
The case has drawn attention to Ndetei’s long career in psychiatry and mental health research, as well as his connection to the first accused, Rose Mbithe Mulwa.
Who is Professor David Ndetei?
Ndetei is a professor of psychiatry at the University of Nairobi, a position he has held since 1995.
He trained as a medical doctor at the University of Nairobi, where he obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree in 1975.
He later moved to the United Kingdom on sponsorship from the British Government, where he obtained Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych) in 1980.
In 1985, he received a PhD from the University of Nairobi.
He later expanded his professional qualifications with Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (FRCPsych) in 2004 and a Doctor of Science (DSc) from the University of Nairobi in 2013.
His other professional qualifications and distinctions include a Diploma in Psychological Medicine (DPM) from London and Distinguished International Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (DIFAPA) in the United States, as well as a Certificate in Psychotherapy from London.
Early Childhood
He was born in Makakoi Village in Machakos in 1948 as the firstborn of the late John Ndetei Nzuki and Esther Kalekye Ndetei, and the elder brother of 2 sisters and 4 brothers.
He attended Makakoi Primary School in his village and, after 4 years, joined Kimutwa Intermediate School.
During his “A” levels, he spent his vacations as a research assistant at the Katumani Research Centre where he experienced firsthand, high profile research work although; in the field of Agriculture.
Also Read: Fresh Arrests in Dr. Victoria Mutiso Murder as Uganda Police Nab Two Suspects Who Fled Kenya
His Work in Mental Health
Ndetei is also the founding director of the Africa Mental Health Foundation (AMHF), where he has led research and training to improve mental health services in Africa.
His work has included research into community mental health and the integration of mental health services into primary healthcare.
Other areas of focus include mental health among patients with chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and hypertension, mother and child health, early childhood development and mental health in schools.
His research has also covered substance use and suicide.
Ndetei has served as a principal investigator or co-investigator in several Kenyan clinical and community epidemiological studies on mental health and substance abuse.
The research has contributed to the evidence base used in mental health practice in Kenya.
He has authored six books, 21 monographs and more than 250 publications in peer-reviewed journals.
He has also been ranked among Kenya’s leading scholars in the social sciences and humanities.
International Recognition
Ndetei’s career extends beyond Kenya.
He has served as director of the World Psychiatric Association Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Kenya and is an honorary member of the World Psychiatric Association.
He is also a former representative of the World Psychiatric Association Zone 14 and a former secretary and chairman of the Africa Division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK.
His other international affiliations include honorary fellowship of the World Association for Social Psychiatry and distinguished international fellowship of the American Psychiatric Association.
He has also served as honorary faculty and collaborator at the Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in the United States.
Ndetei has been honorary faculty at Western University Canada’s GLOBAL MINDS Institute and is an honorary member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Has served as an external examiner in nearly all medical schools in East, Central and South Africa; has served as a visiting professor in South Africa, UK and Germany and a consultant advisor to WHO, UNODCP and many other UN bodies.
Also Read: Police Officer Arrested Over Lawyer Kyalo Mbobu Murder as DCI Recovers Pistol
Ndetei’s Connection with Rose Mulwa
Prof David Ndetei’s personal history has also become part of the court proceedings.
According to his affidavit, he was previously married to Rose Mbithe Mulwa, the first accused in Victoria Mutiso’s murder case.
The two have two children, Chris Mulwa and Angela Mulwa, who are also accused persons in the case.
Ndetei said his marriage to Mulwa was dissolved in 2001.
He further told the court that a subsequent property dispute resulted in a High Court ruling against Mulwa.
According to Ndetei, Mulwa did not accept the decision or appeal it, leaving what he described as a continuing grievance.
He alleged that the dispute later formed part of the background to threats against him and his second wife, Victoria Mutiso.
“I confirm that we were constantly threatened by the accused persons and those threats eventually culminated in my wife’s death,” Ndetei stated in the affidavit.
Professor Ndetai is married to Dr. Victoria Mutiso-Ndetei and had two children, Christine Wayua Musyimi and David Musyimi Ndetei Junior.
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