Four Sudanese nationals arrested after house help dies mysteriously

The late Zaitun Kavaya's daughter, Faith Kavaya, at Kilimani Police Station, Nairobi, on September 23, 2025. [Collins Oduor, Standard] Police in Nairobi are holding four Sudanese nationals in connection with the death of Zeitun Kavayo, a 55-year-old domestic worker who died under suspicious circumstances at an apartment in Kilimani last week. The suspects, a mother, her two daughters, and a son, were arrested after the incident, which occurred on the evening of Thursday, September 18. Zeitun, who lived in Kibera, had been employed as a house help by the family. Police allege that Zeitun jumped from the fifth-floor balcony of the apartment block. However, her family has rejected the suicide theory and is demanding a full investigation. Kilimani OCPD Patricia Yegon confirmed the arrests, saying the suspects remain in custody. "Investigations are ongoing. The four were presented before the Kibera Law Courts on Monday, and we were granted 10 days to complete our investigations. We shall return to court on October 1," said Yegon.A post-mortem conducted at City Mortuary revealed that Zeitun died from multiple organ injuries caused by blunt force trauma - consistent with a high-impact fall. While this aligns with the official narrative of suicide, the family insists she was murdered. At her modest home in Kibera, grief hangs heavy. Her daughter, Faith Kavayo, recounted the events of the day her mother failed to return home. "Mum left for work around 9am. She usually came back by 3 or 4pm, but that day, she didn't return. At 9:30pm, I got worried and called her. A man picked up.He asked who I was. When I said I was her daughter, he told me she was at Kilimani Police Station and I should go the next morning. I went that night, but was not allowed to see her," ," said Faith. The late Zaitun Kavaya who died under suspicious circumstances at an apartment in Kilimani, Nairobi. [Courtesy] She said she returned the next morning, only to be informed by a police chaplain that her mother had died. "He started talking about death. I interrupted him, saying I just wanted to give my mum the tea I'd brought so it wouldn't get cold. That's when he broke the news."According to the suspects, Zeitun was called back to the apartment over a missing Sh5,000. They allegedly accused her of theft. Faith, however, dismissed this explanation. "They said my mum denied taking the money, and when the son said he was calling the police, they claimed she ran to the balcony and jumped, saying she would rather die. But that doesn't make sense," said Faith "The money was never found. There was nothing in her handbag. My mum has never stolen. Even if she had, why would she return to the house if she was guilty?" Zeitun's brother, Bakari Lilumbi, echoed Faith's sentiments, accusing the police of a possible cover-up. "We asked the DCI officer whether the money was recovered. He didn't respond. Saying she killed herself over Sh5,000 is an insult. She was a strong woman who raised us and taught us to face challenges," he said Zeitun had supported her family through domestic work, raising her children and two grandchildren as a single mother. "Mum was our everything. She worked hard for us. Now she's gone, just like that. We just want the truth," said Faith. She also revealed that her mother had been uneasy about going to work that Thursday. A colleague, Jane, told the family that Zeitun had been instructed to work alone that day, an unusual request. "She was uncomfortable but didn't want to argue with her employer. She wasn't stressed or depressed. She wouldn't take her own life. Something happened, and someone must be held responsible," said Faith.The family now believes the suicide explanation is a deliberate attempt to obscure the truth. "We are asking the government to intervene. We want justice for our sister," said Bakari.

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