MPs claim police behind murders

By David Ochami

Kenya's Parliament has accused police of engaging in extra-judicial killings of suspects.

MPs disputed Internal Security Assistant Minister Orwa Ojode’s explanation of two deaths in Eldama Ravine and four others in Lari.

He claimed that the six people either died in custody or were killed by police and their bodies dumped in forests.

Members accused Mr Ojode of turning himself into ‘an actor and spin doctor’.

In the Eldama Ravine case, police were accused of killing two suspects and contriving the murders to look like suicide and an accident.

In Lari, corpses were discovered in forests following reports police had detained some suspects before their deaths.

Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim asked Parliament to investigate the September 9 disappearance of Brian Kiptanui Birir and Evans Kipkoech Keitany, who were later found dead.

found dead

Ojode enraged MPs when he admitted the two victims in Eldama Ravine were held by police before they were found dead but concluded Birir hanged himself while Keitany died in a car accident after being freed by police.

On Thursday, Ojode claimed autopsy findings validate his conclusions and prove the innocence of the police but MPs claimed police who investigated the matter covered for colleagues implicated in the killings.

"These people died immediately after being released from Katarakwa Police Station," said Eldama Ravine MP Moses Lessonet.

"We are convinced these boys were killed in circumstances which remain unknown," the MP said.

by hanging

Nominated MP Musa Sirma challenged claims one suspect killed himself by hanging in the forest.

"When the public went to protest at the police station, officers did not have a report that they had been released following their earlier detention at the station," he said.

Lari MP David Njuguna alleged the bodies found at Kinale and Ngubi forests in Lari District bore evidence of extra-judicial killings.

Gichugu MP Martha Karua said some of the youths discovered in the forests had been detained by police.

Kiharu MP Muturi Mwangi said police should not investigate these killings because they have been implicated.