A Kenyan-born nurse from Kibwezi in Makueni County has been arrested in the United States after being accused of sexually assaulting a vulnerable hospital patient, a case that has since sparked intense discussion both in the US and back home in Ukambani.
According to a report by WFTV Channel 9, the suspect, Abedinecho Kyalo Katue, 46, was taken into custody in Florida and booked at the Orange County Jail. He is facing serious felony charges including sexual battery and lewd molestation involving a disabled patient.
Investigators say the alleged incident occurred at AdventHealth in Orlando, where Katue was working as a nurse. The victim, a female patient recovering from surgery and living with an amputated leg, was confined to her hospital bed at the time.
Authorities allege that Katue entered the patient’s room and began making inappropriate comments about her appearance before allegedly touching her in a sexual manner while she was unable to defend herself. The victim reportedly told investigators she felt helpless due to her medical condition.
Police further claim that after the patient raised concerns with another nurse, Katue later administered morphine through her IV line without her consent, an act investigators believe may have been intended to keep her quiet.
The alleged assault is said to have occurred in January 2025, but the arrest was made more than a year later after investigators gathered evidence and reviewed hospital records as part of the probe.
Hospital officials confirmed that the nurse is no longer working in his duties as the case proceeds through the American justice system.
Back in Kenya, particularly in Kamba land, the story has quickly spread on social media. Katue, who is believed to hail from Kibwezi, has reportedly been known to interact with local socialites and Kamba celebrities during visits to Kenya, making the allegations even more shocking to many who knew him online.
The case has since become the talk of town in sections of Ukambani as Kenyans online react to the disturbing allegations involving one of their own working abroad.
Katue is expected to appear in court in Florida as the criminal proceedings continue.
