A BRIT BBC worker was murdered in her hotel room by an intruder who fell or jumped to his death from an eighth-floor window, an inquest heard.
Kate Mitchell suffered a head injury and was strangled in November 2021 in Nairobi, Kenya.
PAKate Mitchell was murdered in her Kenyan hotel room[/caption]
The 42-year-old had worked for BBC Media Action as a project manager in Ethiopia, South Sudan and Zambia.
The charity, formerly known as the BBC World Service Trust, works in international development and promotes democratic reporting.
Newcastle Coroner’s Court heard how Kate had been deployed to the Kenyan capital for safety after leaving Ethiopia due to the civil war.
She was discovered in the room of her Ibis hotel after an intruder gained entry and attacked her, the inquest was told.
Coroner Karin Welsh said: “That man either fell or jumped from the eighth floor bedroom window and he also was found deceased.
“That’s the totality of the information we have been able to glean from Nairobi.”
A post-mortem in the UK found that Kate died from a head injury and pressure on the neck.
Ms Welsh concluded that she was unlawfully killed.
Speaking after the verdict, Kate’s brother Pete Mitchell said the family is putting pressure on the Kenyan police to reveal more.
Kate’s loved ones have also pushed for an inquest in Nairobi that might confirm further details about her death.
Pete revealed the family still have not been given his sister’s personal effects – including her laptop.
He added: “The Kenyan police have just stone-walled any inquiries. They have refused to do anything about it.”
The historian also paid tribute to his sister, who he said was “the smartest person I have met”.
Pete said: “She was lush. She had worked in Africa for years. She was madly in love with where she lived and the people she worked with.
“She was professional and she was really brave. She would go to refugee camps, go to prisons and get people out of trouble.
“She did the work of international development and trying to empower people to create media organisations.
“She was also great craic, she loved a drink and was famous in Whitley Bay.”
PAKate’s family paid tribute following the inquest[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
