Betty Bayo's mother demands inquest over 'mysterious' death

The mother of gospel musician Betty Bayo has written to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Ingonga, requesting an inquest into the “sudden and unexplained” death of her daughter.

In a letter dated December 9, 2025, Betty’s mother Joyce Wairimu Mbugua asks the DPP to open a formal investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the passing of the celebrated musician, real name Beatrice Wairimu Mbugua, who died last month.

“The family has had to go through unbearable pain in accepting the fact that the deceased (Betty), who had never exhibited any illness, would just die mysteriously. The family suspects an evil hand in the death of the deceased,” Wairimu through lawyer Geoffrey Omenke wrote to the DPP.

The letter outlines several concerns prompting the request, including the denial of an autopsy report, withheld medical records and what the mother terms a hurried burial that she fears may have concealed crucial facts about her daughter’s death.

Betty is said to have died on Monday, November 10, 2025, at 1:03 pm at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi after battling blood cancer (leukemia).

Her body was later transferred on November 11, 2025 to Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital before being buried days later at her Mugumo farm in Kiambu County.

At the time of her death, Betty was remarried to Hiram Gitau, also known as “Tash,” following her divorce from Pastor Victor Kanyari.

According to the letter, Wairimu, who is based in the United States and did not attend her daughter’s burial, argues that Betty had no known history of any underlying medical condition, noting that she had not shown any signs of illness that would indicate a life-threatening condition.

This, she says, has deepened her suspicion that the circumstances leading to the musician’s death were unusual and require independent scrutiny. The mother further claims she was denied access to the autopsy report, despite repeated requests, leaving her without answers regarding what may have caused her 38-year old daughter’s sudden collapse and death.

Rushed burial

Wairimu also raises concern about what she describes as a rushed burial, saying the process was conducted with unusual speed and without giving the family sufficient time to understand the medical events preceding the death.

She believes the hurried burial may have been intended to hide crucial information.

In addition, she states that the family was denied access to Betty’s medical records, including information on what she was being treated for before her death.

“The deceased was hurriedly buried to conceal some facts that may have led to her death and the family was denied medical records and information on what she was being treated for,” Wairimu’s lawyer says.

The mother urged the DPP to direct the Inspector General of Police to urgently institute an inquest into the circumstances surrounding the musician’s death.

The request for an inquest is anchored in Articles 26(3), 35, and 157(4) of the Constitution, which empower the state to intervene when the cause of death is unclear or potentially suspicious.

The move to formally write to the DPP follows Wairimu’s comments made on Saturday, December 6, 2025, during a Facebook Live discussion with Shiru Wa Oakland. 

She expressed deep concern about unanswered questions surrounding her daughter’s final moments and insisted that only a forensic examination would reveal the truth.

“A postmortem must be carried out on my daughter’s body so that we can have clarity on what exactly killed her,” she said.

She further expressed concern about the welfare of her grandchildren, insisting they be immediately removed from the house they are currently living in, citing safety concerns.

“I also want Betty’s children to be moved from the house where they are currently staying, and if possible, this should happen today because I feel they are not safe. I will stand with them… If it is possible for them to be taken out of that house, I promise to pay for wherever they go,” she added.

Wairimu added that important documents belonging to the children, as well as her own identification documents, remain in the same house and should be released without delay.

 

The mother of gospel musician Betty Bayo has written to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Ingonga, requesting an inquest into the “sudden and unexplained” death of her daughter.

In a letter dated December 9, 2025, Betty’s mother Joyce Wairimu Mbugua asks the DPP to open a formal investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the passing of the celebrated musician, real name Beatrice Wairimu Mbugua, who died last month.

“The family has had to go through unbearable pain in accepting the fact that the deceased (Betty), who had never exhibited any illness, would just die mysteriously. The family suspects an evil hand in the death of the deceased,” Wairimu through lawyer Geoffrey Omenke wrote to the DPP.

The letter outlines several concerns prompting the request, including the denial of an autopsy report, withheld medical records and what the mother terms a hurried burial that she fears may have concealed crucial facts about her daughter’s death.

Betty is said to have died on Monday, November 10, 2025, at 1:03 pm at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi after battling blood cancer (leukemia).

Her body was later transferred on November 11, 2025 to Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital before being buried days later at her Mugumo farm in Kiambu County.

At the time of her death, Betty was remarried to Hiram Gitau, also known as “Tash,” following her divorce from Pastor Victor Kanyari.

According to the letter, Wairimu, who is based in the United States and did not attend her daughter’s burial, argues that Betty had no known history of any underlying medical condition, noting that she had not shown any signs of illness that would indicate a life-threatening condition.

This, she says, has deepened her suspicion that the circumstances leading to the musician’s death were unusual and require independent scrutiny. The mother further claims she was denied access to the autopsy report, despite repeated requests, leaving her without answers regarding what may have caused her 38-year old daughter’s sudden collapse and death.

Rushed burial

Wairimu also raises concern about what she describes as a rushed burial, saying the process was conducted with unusual speed and without giving the family sufficient time to understand the medical events preceding the death.

She believes the hurried burial may have been intended to hide crucial information.

In addition, she states that the family was denied access to Betty’s medical records, including information on what she was being treated for before her death.

“The deceased was hurriedly buried to conceal some facts that may have led to her death and the family was denied medical records and information on what she was being treated for,” Wairimu’s lawyer says.

The mother urged the DPP to direct the Inspector General of Police to urgently institute an inquest into the circumstances surrounding the musician’s death.

The request for an inquest is anchored in Articles 26(3), 35, and 157(4) of the Constitution, which empower the state to intervene when the cause of death is unclear or potentially suspicious.

The move to formally write to the DPP follows Wairimu’s comments made on Saturday, December 6, 2025, during a Facebook Live discussion with Shiru Wa Oakland. 

She expressed deep concern about unanswered questions surrounding her daughter’s final moments and insisted that only a forensic examination would reveal the truth.

“A postmortem must be carried out on my daughter’s body so that we can have clarity on what exactly killed her,” she said.

She further expressed concern about the welfare of her grandchildren, insisting they be immediately removed from the house they are currently living in, citing safety concerns.

“I also want Betty’s children to be moved from the house where they are currently staying, and if possible, this should happen today because I feel they are not safe. I will stand with them… If it is possible for them to be taken out of that house, I promise to pay for wherever they go,” she added.

Wairimu added that important documents belonging to the children, as well as her own identification documents, remain in the same house and should be released without delay.