Barely a month after the sudden death of beloved gospel singer Betty Bayo, her family has reopened painful wounds while demanding answers from the state. At the centre of the storm is her mother, Joyce Wairimu Mbugua, who says she cannot accept the official narrative surrounding her daughter’s demise.
Through her lawyers, Wairimu has taken the rare step of petitioning the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to intervene. Her demand is blunt, urgent, and emotionally charged. She wants a full inquest into Betty Bayo’s death, arguing that too many questions remain unanswered.
Betty Bayo’s Death Under Legal Scrutiny After Mother Seeks Inquest
On Tuesday, December 8, Joyce Wairimu Mbugua formally filed a petition before the ODPP, asking prosecutors to institute an inquest into the death of her daughter, born Beatrice Wairimu Mbugua. The petition challenges the circumstances under which the Kikuyu gospel star died on November 10.
In a strongly worded letter, Wairimu states that the family is struggling to come to terms with the loss, insisting that Betty Bayo had never shown signs of prolonged illness. She argues that the official explanation does not align with what the family observed in the weeks leading to the singer’s death.
The petition alleges that an evil hand may have played a role in Betty Bayo’s death and calls for an independent, transparent probe to establish the truth. Wairimu maintains that the family deserves clarity, not rumours or sealed reports.
Her lawyers want the ODPP to exercise its constitutional mandate and order an inquest under Kenyan law. They insist that this step is necessary to protect the right to life and access to information, rights guaranteed under the Constitution.
Family Alleges Concealment and Withheld Medical Evidence
One of the most troubling claims raised in the petition is the alleged denial of the postmortem report. According to Wairimu, the family never received the findings of the autopsy conducted on Betty Bayo’s body.
She insists that her daughter had no history of underlying medical conditions. This claim directly contradicts public reports that emerged shortly after the gospel artist’s death. To the family, the absence of shared medical records only deepens suspicion.
The petition further questions the speed at which Betty Bayo was laid to rest. Wairimu claims the burial was rushed, suggesting that crucial details surrounding the death may have been deliberately concealed.
In her letter, she argues that the hurried burial denied the family adequate time to interrogate medical findings or seek independent opinions. This, she says, left them with unanswered questions that continue to haunt them.
For Wairimu, the issue is not grief alone. It is accountability. She wants every step taken before and after Betty Bayo’s death to be examined under the law.
Call for Police Action and Constitutional Backing
Beyond the inquest, Betty Bayo’s mother is demanding immediate action from law enforcement. The petition urges the ODPP to compel Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to launch investigations without delay.
“The family express their utmost disdain and demand that you direct the Inspector General to urgently move with speed and institute an inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Beatrice Wairimu Mbugua,” the letter reads in part.
The legal request cites Articles 26(3), 35, and 157(4) of the Constitution, which cover the right to life, access to information, and the prosecutorial powers of the ODPP. By grounding the petition in constitutional law, the family signals that this fight goes beyond emotion. It is a legal and public interest matter.
The move places pressure on the ODPP to decide whether the concerns raised meet the threshold for a state-led inquest, a process that can compel witnesses, demand documents, and expose hidden facts.
Official Narrative Contradicts Family Claims
Publicly, the narrative around Betty Bayo’s death has followed a different path. Early reports indicated that the singer had been battling cancer and was receiving treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital.
A family spokesperson later told the press that her health deteriorated rapidly about a week before her death after she was diagnosed with acute leukaemia. The spokesperson also claimed that the gospel artist suffered excessive bleeding shortly before she died.
These statements now sit uneasily with the claims made by her mother. The contradiction has intensified public debate, with fans and observers demanding clarity.
Betty Bayo’s death was a shock to the gospel music community. Her songs, faith-driven message, and cultural influence earned her a loyal following. That legacy now hangs over a growing controversy that refuses to fade quietly.
With the petition now before the ODPP, the next steps by state institutions will determine whether Betty Bayo’s death remains a closed chapter or becomes the subject of a full public inquiry that could reveal uncomfortable truths.
