Brother in Kenya for BBC charity worker inquest

The brother of a BBC charity worker who was murdered in Kenya has travelled to Nairobi as a local inquest into her death resumes.

Kate Mitchell, who was originally from Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, was found dead in her hotel room in the Kenyan capital in November 2021.

In 2025, a UK inquest into the 42-year-old's death concluded she was unlawfully killed by an intruder who then jumped or fell to his death from the eighth floor of the hotel.

Her brother, Peter Mitchell, has spent five years seeking answers about the circumstances surrounding the death of his sister, who was in Kenya working as a project manager at BBC Media Action, the corporation's international development charity.

A Kenyan inquest into Kate's death opened in November 2025 at Kibera Law Courts, but has been adjourned on a number of occasions.

It is due to resume on Wednesday 13 May. Several witnesses remain on the list to give evidence.

Speaking before travelling to Nairobi, Mitchell said he hoped the forthcoming hearing would allow further evidence to be heard.

Last year, an inquest held at Newcastle Coroner's Court heard Kate had been working in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, but had moved to Kenya as a security measure due to the continuing conflict in Ethiopia.

A post-mortem examination carried out when the charity worker's body was returned to the UK found she died from a head injury and pressure on the neck.

Coroner Karin Welsh concluded she was unlawfully killed.

Mitchell said his lawyers would raise a number of concerns during proceedings in Nairobi, including the circumstances of his sister's post‑mortem, the security of the hotel room where she was found, and the death of the prime suspect - who was found dead at the scene.

He said repeated adjournments had required him to make a number of trips to Kenya, often for brief court hearings.

"It's taken nearly five years to get to this point," he said. "So far I've had to go out for a single day every time, because we've had difficulty getting any consecutive court dates."

He said he remained uncertain about what the inquest would ultimately establish, and that further hearings and future trips to Kenya might still be necessary.

BBC Media Action said: "Kate was a devoted and beloved colleague. We miss her, and will never forget her."

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