Nine police officers are set to be charged with murder after the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) okayed their prosecution following extensive investigations.
According to a statement by the authority on Thursday, April 23, it was well satisfied that the conduct of the police officers in three different incidents warranted that murder charges be leveled against them.
In the first case, a police inspector, a corporal and four police constables were accused of killing Mary Chepkorir Kiprotich, an illicit brewer, in March 2020, at her home in Laikipia County.
The rogue police officers implicated in the incident were Inspector Harrison Mwa, John Kimweli Musau, Linus Kipngetich Terer, Joseph Mureithi, David Kipkemoi, and Magdalene Nachapai.
The statement by IPOA informs that the suspects stormed Chepkorir’s home during an operation targeting the sale of illegal brews after which they assaulted and killed her.
“The officers attached to Majiwa General Service Unit (GSU) camp had accompanied the area Chief in conducting an operation against the sale of illegal alcohol, during which she died,” IPOA laid bare.
In the second incident, Mlolongo Police Station Chief Inspector Stephen Lelei and Sergeant Fredrick Leliman, who is also a suspect in lawyer Willy Kimani's murder, were accused of killing Jacob Mbai and Elizabeth Nduku in Mlolongo town, Machakos County.
According to IPOA, the police officers shot the two and issued a false statement that the incident involved a shootout to repulse robbers.
“Mbai and Nduku were shot dead at Mlolongo Township, Machakos County. They were shot by police officers who thereafter reported that they were responding to a planned robbery.”
“Upon an independent review of IPOA findings, the ODPP wrote to the Authority and gave the green light to charge the following officers with murder,” the statement reads.
In the third case presented by IPOA, Constable Bernard Gachau and Sergeant James Mulwa are facing murder and neglect of duty charges respectively.
The duo is accused in the death of Ali Sora Bonaya, who collapsed and died at his home in Marsabit County after suffering injuries allegedly inflicted by police officers.
