According to the post-mortem findings Rosemary Chemutai Koech died by suicide. She was found dead at her residence in the Ole Nairi area of Ngong, Kajiado County, on August 21, 2026, after relatives became concerned when she did not respond to calls or knocks at her bedroom door. A post-mortem examination conducted by Chief Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor at Lee Funeral Home reportedly confirmed the cause of death.

Reports say investigators found her hanging from a window grill, and no suicide note was reportedly recovered. Her family and people close to her subsequently spoke about marital difficulties and significant financial pressure, including loan repayments, in the period before her death. However, it is important not to present those difficulties as a proven single reason for her death; reports indicate that investigations into the circumstances surrounding her final days continued. 

She was 40 years old and a mother of four, and was serving as KCB Bank Group's Head of Data Protection at the time of her death.According to a letter from KCB to Lee Funeral Home dated August 25, 2026, Rosemary’s employment records listed two people as her next of kin:

Judy Koech-Oyamo — her sister

Charles Migwe Kimwatu — her son

KCB stated that the two were the people recorded in its employment records as Rosemary's next of kin and could liaise with the funeral home concerning the release, collection and burial arrangements. 

However, KCB also clarified that being listed as a next of kin does not automatically make someone the legal administrator of her estate or give them rights to inherit her property. Those matters require the appropriate legal documents, such as letters of administration or a grant of probate. 

Burial according to the KiRosemary Chemutai Koech’s husband, Kevin Migwe Kimwatu, did try to stop or delay the burial. He went to the Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court on August 26, 2026, arguing that he had been excluded from the funeral arrangements and asking that Rosemary’s body be released to him and buried at his ancestral home in Matasia, Kajiado County. 

On August 28, the court issued interim orders restraining Rosemary’s family and KCB from removing her body from Lee Funeral Home or proceeding with the burial without his involvement and consent. 

However, despite the order, Rosemary was buried at her parents’ home in Chepseon, Kericho, that same Friday evening at about 7:30 p.m. The burial proceeded amid the dispute, with the family and clan citing cultural practices.

On Friday, August 28, 2026, Senior Principal Magistrate Agnes Mwangi certified the matter as urgent and issued interim orders. The court temporarily restrained Rosemary’s family, KCB and other parties from removing her body from Lee Funeral Home and from conducting the burial without Kevin’s involvement and consent. The court also directed that funeral arrangements should not proceed without his involvement pending an inter partes hearing. 

A major issue in the dispute was who was authorised to handle Rosemary’s funeral arrangements. KCB had written to Lee Funeral Home on August 25 stating that its employment records identified Rosemary’s sister, Judy Koech-Oyamo, and her son, Charles Migwe Kimwatu, as her next of kin. Her husband was not listed as a next of kin in those employment records.The significant part is that her husband, Kevin Migwe Kimwatu, was not listed as her next of kin in KCB’s employment records. When he followed up on the funeral arrangements, he reportedly learned that the body was to be released through the sister, which he challenged in court. He argued that, as Rosemary’s husband and the father of their four children, he should have been involved in decisions concerning her burial. 

However, there is an important distinction: being listed as “next of kin” in an employer’s records does not necessarily mean that the person automatically becomes the legal administrator of the deceased’s estate or inherits her property. KCB reportedly clarified that its letter was specifically for funeral and mortuary arrangements and did not determine entitlement to Rosemary’s estate, pension, insurance, terminal benefits or other assets. Those issues can require separate legal processes. 

So, the next-of-kin issue does not simply mean that Rosemary’s sister and son had greater legal rights than her husband in every respect. It means that, according to KCB’s employment records, those were the two people Rosemary had nominated for purposes covered by the bank's records.

This is also why Kevin went to court. He challenged the arrangements and sought to be involved in the handling of his wife's remains.

 *Burial according to the kipkendek clan* 

Rosemary was buried at her parents' home in Chepseon, Kipkelion, Kericho County, on Friday evening, August 28, 2026, at about 7:30 p.m. 

Her family explained that the decision was based largely on Kalenjin/Kipsigis cultural practices, rather than an attempt to exclude her husband or his family.

The Kipkendek clan chairman, Samwel Keter, said the clan had held consultations before deciding where and when Rosemary would be buried. He explained that, according to the traditions followed by the family, certain rituals and cleansing ceremonies had to be performed because of the circumstances surrounding her death. 

The clan also said Rosemary had her own parcel of land at her parents' home, and that the parents were consulted before the burial site was selected. The family maintained that the land would remain accessible to Rosemary's four children and that her husband and his family were also welcome to visit. 

 *Why was she buried at night?* 

The night burial attracted considerable public attention. Clan officials said the timing was connected to Kalenjin cultural practices requiring a relatively quick burial in circumstances such as these. They said certain cleansing rituals had to be performed before she was laid to rest. 

The family also rejected suggestions that the night burial was intended to hide the ceremony from mourners or deliberately exclude Rosemary's husband.

The dispute with her husband

Rosemary's husband, Kevin Migwe Kimwatu, had gone to court over the funeral arrangements. He argued that, as her husband and the father of their four children, he should have been involved in decisions concerning her burial. The court issued interim orders on August 28 restraining burial without his involvement. 

Despite those orders, Rosemary was buried that evening in Chepseon. The matter was scheduled to return to court on August 31, 2026.

Importantly, the Kipkendek clan has denied that there is a continuing feud with Kevin Kimwatu or his family. Clan chairman Samwel Keter said the burial decisions were based on cultural traditions and not hostility toward Rosemary's husband.

 *In summary* 

Rosemary Chemutai Koech's recorded next of kin:

Judy Koech-Oyamo (sister) and Charles Migwe Kimwatu (son).

Clan: Kipkendek, within the Kipsigis/Kalenjin community.

Burial: Chepseon, Kipkelion, Kericho County, at her parents' home and on land the family says belonged to Rosemary.

Date and time: Friday, August 28, 2026, around 7:30 p.m.

Reason for the burial arrangements: The family and clan cited Kalenjin/Kipsigis cultural practices and rituals, including cleansing rites and the tradition of conducting burial relatively quickly in such circumstances.

Rosemary Chemutai Koech’s husband, Kevin Migwe Kimwatu, did try to stop or delay the burial. He went to the Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court on August 26, 2026, arguing that he had been excluded from the funeral arrangements and asking that Rosemary’s body be released to him and buried at his ancestral home in Matasia, Kajiado County. 

On August 28, the court issued interim orders restraining Rosemary’s family and KCB from removing her body from Lee Funeral Home or proceeding with the burial without his involvement and consent. 

However, despite the order, Rosemary was buried at her parents’ home in Chepseon, Kericho, that same Friday evening at about 7:30 p.m. The burial proceeded amid the dispute, with the family and clan citing cultural practices.

On Friday, August 28, 2026, Senior Principal Magistrate Agnes Mwangi certified the matter as urgent and issued interim orders. The court temporarily restrained Rosemary’s family, KCB and other parties from removing her body from Lee Funeral Home and from conducting the burial without Kevin’s involvement and consent. The court also directed that funeral arrangements should not proceed without his involvement pending an inter partes hearing. 

A major issue in the dispute was who was authorised to handle Rosemary’s funeral arrangements. KCB had written to Lee Funeral Home on August 25 stating that its employment records identified Rosemary’s sister, Judy Koech-Oyamo, and her son, Charles Migwe Kimwatu, as her next of kin. Her husband was not listed as a next of kin in those employment records.The significant part is that her husband, Kevin Migwe Kimwatu, was not listed as her next of kin in KCB’s employment records. When he followed up on the funeral arrangements, he reportedly learned that the body was to be released through the sister, which he challenged in court. He argued that, as Rosemary’s husband and the father of their four children, he should have been involved in decisions concerning her burial. 

However, there is an important distinction: being listed as “next of kin” in an employer’s records does not necessarily mean that the person automatically becomes the legal administrator of the deceased’s estate or inherits her property. KCB reportedly clarified that its letter was specifically for funeral and mortuary arrangements and did not determine entitlement to Rosemary’s estate, pension, insurance, terminal benefits or other assets. Those issues can require separate legal processes. 

So, the next-of-kin issue does not simply mean that Rosemary’s sister and son had greater legal rights than her husband in every respect. It means that, according to KCB’s employment records, those were the two people Rosemary had nominated for purposes covered by the bank's records.

This is also why Kevin went to court. He challenged the arrangements and sought to be involved in the handling of his wife's remains.