A post-mortem has confirmed that Dr. Job Obwaka, a prominent gynecologist and long‑serving board member of The Nairobi Hospital, died of cardiac arrest.
Family representative Joseph Ndungu has confirmed the results.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, May 5, Government Pathologist Dr. Johanssen Oduor said he was in the autopsy with a team comprising family lawyer Joseph Ndungu, the family doctor, and investigators probing Dr. Obwaka’s death.
On his part, lawyer Ndung’u said that he concurred with the findings of the autopsy, stating that the late had a cardiac arrest which caused his death.
“We have a very exhaustive post-mortem with the government pathologist. We concur with the findings… he had a cardiac problem, and eventually he developed a cardiac arrest,” the family representative said.
The 83‑year‑old doctor collapsed on the evening of May 1 while in Kitengela.
Following the collapse, Dr. Obwaka was rushed by ambulance to The Nairobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival despite emergency resuscitation attempts by paramedics shortly after 7 p.m.
Dr. Obwaka had served The Nairobi Hospital for many years, both as a senior consultant obstetrician-gynecologist and as a member of the hospital’s board of directors.
He also previously served as a director of the hospital, earning respect for his long and dedicated career in medicine.
Earlier information contained in a police affidavit had raised the possibility that Dr. Obwaka may have been poisoned at a residence in Kitengela, where he collapsed shortly before his death.
As part of the investigations, police collected food and household samples from the house for toxicological analysis.
The home where the incident occurred belonged to a woman who is currently in police custody, as investigations into the circumstances of Dr Obwaka’s death continue.
Also Read: Popular Gynecologist Dr. Job Obwaka Dies Weeks After Arrest Over The Nairobi Hospital
Woman Linked to Death of Dr Obwaka Arrested
Police arrested the woman on the morning of Saturday, May 2, describing her as a person of interest since she was the last known individual to be with Dr Obwaka before he collapsed.
She was later arraigned at the Kibera Law Courts, where her lawyers told the court that she is not a suspect and had only assisted after Dr Obwaka became unwell in her home.
According to the defense, her actions were limited to seeking help and ensuring he was taken to the hospital.
The woman’s legal team criticized the investigators’ affidavit, saying it contained “innuendos, alarmism, and sensationalism.”
They also expressed concern for her safety if she were released, citing the intense public attention surrounding the case.
The DCI requested 14 days to hold her as they continued investigations. However, Magistrate Barbara Akinyi allowed police to detain her for 10 days to complete inquiries, including forensic analysis and a possible mental assessment.
Also Read: 45-Year-Old Woman Arrested Over Death of Nairobi Hospital Director Dr Job Obwaka
Events Leading Up to Dr Obwaka’s Sudden Collapse
According to an affidavit sworn by Sergeant Rodan Zioka of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Dr. Job Obwaka visited the woman’s residence on the evening of his death.
The affidavit states that the two shared a meal before Dr. Obwaka requested water and went into a bedroom.
He was later found lying on his back, dressed in trousers and a vest, with a weak pulse and labored breathing. The woman raised an alarm and contacted her neighbor, Shadrack Korir, who helped call for medical help.
A paramedic responded to the distress call, administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and transported Dr. Obwaka to the hospital. However, he was pronounced dead on arrival despite emergency efforts.
DCI officers later visited the residence and collected various samples, including items associated with the meal.
These samples are expected to be analyzed by the government chemist as part of toxicological testing to establish the circumstances surrounding Dr. Obwaka’s death.
