Suspects in Kianjokoma brothers deaths plead not guilty

Six police officers accused of killing two brothers in Embu at the Milimani Law Courts. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Six suspects accused of killing two Kianjokoma brothers have pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder charges at the High Court, Milimani Law Courts.

The six are Corporal Benson Mbuthia, Corporal Consolata Kariuki and Constables Nicholas Nicholas Sang Cheruiyot, Martin Msamali Wanyama, Lilian Cherono Chemuna, and James Mwaniki.

“The first, third, fourth, and sixth accused persons will be remanded at Industrial Area Remand Prison while the second and fifth will be remanded at Lang'ata Women's Prison,” the judge ruled.

Prior to their plea taking, lawyers representing the six had applied for an inquest before the suspects are charged.

Appearing before High Court judge Daniel Ogembo on Tuesday, September 2, the lawyers presented an application seeking to have the court allow for an inquest before the embattled officers take the plea.

This comes days after Justice Ogembo dismissed their initial application seeking the court to allow for the exhumation of the two bodies for an independent autopsy.

The six, through lawyer Danstan Omari, said the brothers had jumped off a moving vehicle to evade police action after they were arrested flouting the dusk to dawn curfew.

“We want an inquest into the brothers’ deaths conducted before the suspects are formally charged. As a result, we are asking the court to issue an exhumation order and allow for fresh postmortem,” said Omari.

The two, Benson Njiru, 22, and Emmanuel Mutura, 19, died in controversial circumstances after police arrested them for allegedly flouting the dusk-to-dawn curfew on August 1 in Kianjokoma, Embu North in Embu County.

Their bodies would later be found at the Embu Level 5 Hospital morgue.

The brothers were buried on August 13 at their parents’ home in Kianjokoma, Embu County.