SEE HOW POLICE OFFICERS ARE USED TO KILL AND DISPOSE VICTIMS IN RIVERS IN KENYA:WILLIE KIMANI MURDER

September 20, 2021
Four police officers and a civilian have a case to answer in the murder of Willie,
Joseph and Josephat
The High Court has placed four police officers and a civilian on their defence for the murder of
International Justice Mission lawyer Willie Kimani, client Josephat Mwenda and driver Joseph
Muiruri on June 23, 2016.
Lady Justice Jessie Lessit in her ruling said she was conviced by the Prosecution case that police
officers Fredrick Leliman, Stephen Cheburet, Sylvia Wanjiku, Leonard Mwangi and civilian Peter
Ngugi have a case to answer in the murder of the three.
“After considering the evidence, I have come to a conclusion that the prosecution has established
a prima facie case against all of the accused, and therefore place all them on their defence,” Justice
Jessie Lessit ruled.
The prosecution put a strong case on how the five abducted Willie, Josephat, and Joseph on June
23, 2016, after the trio left Mavoko Law Courts where they had attended a case hearing involving
one of the accused.
After a week-long tedious search, their bodies were discovered in River Athi in Ol Donyo Sabuk
in Machakos County.
The trial began in 2016 and the Prosecution closed its case last week after calling 46 witnesses.
Among those who were called to give evidence include; Police officers, Willie's former colleagues,
witnesses who discovered bodies floating at the river, a boda boda rider who the prosecution said
was the last person Willie talked to and who picked a distress note allegedly wrote by the lawyer
on a tissue paper.
The prosecution also adduced a confession statement given by the fifth accused, Peter Ngugi,
allegedly detailing how a scheme to kill the three was hatched and executed. The prosecution, in
its bid to prove its case against the accused also used technology including cell-site analysis to
map geographic area, DNA sampling, and phone call data.
“Placing the five accused person on their defence is a positive move in realizing justice for Willie,
Joseph and Josephat. We want to commend all the investigating agencies from the Kenya Police
Service, DCI, IPOA and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for putting together a
strong case that has convinced the court that the accused persons have a case to answer, ” said
Benson Shamala, IJM Kenya Country Director.
Shamala said five years is a long time for a case to reach this stage and urged actors in the public
justice system to work together to reduce time taken in determing cases in court.
“We are encouraged that the Chief Justice has promised to reduce time taken in court to a
maximum of three years. This will help Kenyans have faith in our justice system and ensure
speedy justice for both the victims and the accused persons,” Shamala said.
The defence hearing will start on Monday, September 27, 2021.