The weeks following the loss of gospel singer Betty Bayo have brought her family little peace. Instead of settling into the difficult process of healing, they now find themselves pushing for answers they believe were never provided.
Their concern has grown into a formal challenge, led by her mother, Joyce Wairimu Mbugua, who says the explanations given so far do not reflect what the family knew about Betty before she died.
Through her legal team, Wairimu has asked the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to look deeper into the matter.
She wants an official inquest to help the family understand exactly what happened on the day Betty passed away. In the documents filed on December 8, she explains that her daughter, whose official name was Beatrice Wairimu Mbugua, showed no signs of a long-term illness. This makes the family question how her health could have changed so suddenly.
The petition claims that something may have happened that has not been fully revealed. Wairimu argues that the family does not have basic information, including the postmortem report, which they expected to receive soon after the autopsy. She says that without this report, it has become even harder for them to believe the official story.
According to the family, Betty did not have any underlying medical problems that would suggest a life-threatening condition.
Another issue raised is the speed at which Betty was buried. Wairimu feels the burial took place too quickly and that this limited their chance to go through the medical findings or seek further clarification about her condition.
The late Gospel musician Betty Bayo, Tash and there children. Photo Courtesy/Instagram
She believes that such haste may have hidden details that were important to understanding her daughter’s final days. The family maintains that they have been left in confusion, holding more questions than answers.
In addition to the request for an inquest, the family wants the Inspector General of Police to begin investigations. They argue that the law allows for such action when there is uncertainty surrounding a person’s death.
Their petition refers to sections of the Constitution that protect the right to life, the right to information, and the duties of the ODPP. By grounding their request in the law, they are making it clear that they want a fair and transparent process, not rumours or incomplete explanations.
The public story about Betty’s final days has differed from what her mother is now saying. Early information released to the media suggested that she had been diagnosed with cancer and had been receiving treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital.
A family spokesperson also said that she was found to have acute leukaemia shortly before she died and that she experienced severe bleeding.
These accounts are now being questioned by Wairimu, who insists that none of these conditions had been known to the family beforehand.
This disagreement has sparked a debate among fans and the wider gospel community, many of whom admired Betty for her music and her message of hope. Her sudden death was already difficult for many to accept, and the new claims have reopened discussions that had seemed settled.
