Beatrice Mwende Kimotho in court yesterday. [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

A 42-year-old woman linked to the killing of her four children in Naivasha a week ago is mentally unstable, a psychiatrist report has revealed.

According to a report presented to a Naivasha court from Gilgil Mental Hospital where Beatrice Mwende Kimotho was taken for mental assessment, she had underlying issues.

This came as the suspect was arraigned before the court.

Prosecution counsel Alex Ndiema told Naivasha Senior Resident Magistrate Lyna Sarapai that they were ready to charge the accused with four counts of murder.

Ndiema sought orders from the court to hold the accused for two more days.

“Due to the prevailing Covid-19 conditions, the High Court will not be seating for the next two days and we want to hold her until then before charging her with four counts of murder,” he said.

The magistrate directed that the accused be remanded in Naivasha Annex prison until Thursday when she will be charged with murder.

The murdered minors were Melody Warigia (8yrs), Willy Macharia (6yrs), Samantha Njeri (4yrs) and Whitney Nyambura (2yrs).

During an emotional burial ceremony on Thursday last week, the family denied that the suspect was depressed or had any financial constraints.

Meanwhile, eleven members of the ‘Confirm Group’ in Nakuru were arraigned in the same court and charged with arson, planning to commit a felony and being in possession of bhang.

The youth were arrested by police in Nakuru following bloody gang clashes in Flamingo and Kivumbini three weeks ago in which one man was left dead and several houses torched.

According to the charge sheet, the eleven who were not represented burnt two houses in the two estates on the 20th of July and were planning to commit more attacks.

The prosecution objected to their release on bond noting that investigations were still going on and more suspects were expected to be arrested.

The magistrate directed that the area probation officer avails a probation report on the 20th of July to guide the court on the issue of bond terms.