The murder trial of six police officers dubbed “the Kianjakoma Six” has begun, with Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji pledging to prove that they killed two brothers in Embu County last August in cold blood.
Those in the dock are Benson Mputhia, Consolata Njeri, Martin Wanyama, Nicholas Sang, Lillian Cherono and James Mwaniki.
Speaking before the first witness took the stand, prosecutor Tabitha Ouya told Justice Daniel Ogembo that “the state will prove that the brothers died (at) the hands of those expected to protect them”.
Ms Ouya said the six, who have denied murdering Benson Njiru Ndwiga and Emmanuel Mutura Ndwiga on August 1, 2021, had “premeditated the killing.”
Ms Ouya said evidence will show that the two brothers, who met their deaths while heading home, were brutally murdered by the officers.
“These were young energetic persons pursuing life and best friends to each other who had aspirations and looking forward to a better life,” Ms Ouya stated.
She said the accused faked a fatal road accident as the cause of the deaths yet “they are the ones who violently and brutally murdered the duo”.
Ms Ouya put John Mugendi Njeru in the dock as the first witness. He narrated how police chased them in a dark alley in a bid to arrest them while “enforcing curfew rules”.
Mr Mugendi, a student in Karen, Nairobi, told Justice Ogembo that Benson called him around 7.30pm on the fateful day and informed him that “they had closed their business and wanted to go home”.
Mr Mugendi said he and his friend Chrisdan had been playing in a games store.
They joined Benson and Emmanuel and proceeded to a restaurant, where Mr Mugendi gulped a jug of keg beer.
“Benson and Emmanuel did not take beer,” Mr Mugendi,19, recalled.
He said while they were at the eatery, the mother of the brothers called them and asked them to go home.
He said they saw a police vehicle as they left the restaurant.
An officer wielding a “rungu” (piece of wood) and donning a hood and a face mask was standing outside the patrol van.
“Benson saw the police officer and said, ‘Let’s flee’,” Mr Mugendi recalled.
He said Emmanuel tripped and fell. Mr Mugendi and the other man ran and hid in a pit but he could see what was happening.
The witness said that as they ran he heard a loud bang where Emmanuel lay.
Benson returned to rescue his brother but was confronted by the officer wielding a rungu
“Benson was hit on the left shoulder and thrown into the police patrol van,” Mr Mugendi stated.
They fled and the next day he heard that the brothers, who were his friends and school and college mates, had been killed.
Cross-examined by lawyer Danstan Omari for the accused, Mr Mugendi said he did not see the officers killing the brothers.
The hearing continues. BY DAILY NATION