•IG of police Hillary Mutyambai announced the suspension of the officers.
•The two brothers -Benson Ndwiga (22), and Emmanuel Ndwiga (19)- met their death in early August
Image: COURTESY
*Updated at 6pm to include DPP Haji statement on arrests.
Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji has ordered the arrest of officers linked to the death of two brothers in Kianjokama.
In a statement on Monday, Haji said their detention will help avert interference with investigations.
"The fact that the deaths ostensibly occurred while the deceased were in the custody of police officers calls for a full and fair investigations to establish the circumstances which led to the deaths," Haji said in the statement.
This comes as the Independent Policing Oversight Authority has recommended the officers be charged with murder.
Ipoa chairperson Anne Makori said the authority also recommended the officers surrender any government stores in their possession, including their firearms.
"Besides murder, the Authority is pursuing other charges including negligence in performance of duty that may have been committed by any other officers," Makori said.
Earlier on Monday, IG of police Hillary Mutyambai announced the suspension of the officers.
Ipoa also recommended that the six officers involved and their commanders be readily available whenever required by the investigators.
The two brothers -Benson Ndwiga (22), and Emmanuel Ndwiga (19)- met their death on their way home when police officers enforcing curfew in the area accosted them on August 1.
Their bodies were later found at Embu Level 5 mortuary.
Their deaths caused an uproar in the country as Kenyans demand justice for their murder.
An autopsy report showed their heads bore signs of blunt force trauma.
The autopsy was done by three different Pathologists: Dr Martha Mwangi who represented the family, Dr Ndegwa represented Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) and Dr Doris Namu who represented Embu Hospital.
The two brothers were laid to rest last Friday as mourners called for justice, demanding answers from the government.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on Wednesday last week met the parents of the two brothers and promised that the matter will be investigated and justice will be served.
“Two investigative agencies including Internal Affairs Unit and Independent Policing Oversight Authority are investigating the incident and will give us their findings soon. We will follow the law and direction of the probe,” he said.
Matiang’i met Ndwiga in Nairobi in the company of Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and Attorney General Paul Kihara.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, in a statement called for justice in the murder of Emmanuel and Benson, stating that if the criminal justice system works, it must work for the Ndwiga family.
The ODM leader stated that no parent should experience the pain the Ndwiga family has endured.
"To the Ndwiga family that has sadly had to bury their sons Emmanuel and Benson today, my sincere condolences. My prayers go to their mother Catherine Wawira. I stand with you in this grief as a parent. No parent should ever go through the torment the Ndwigas are undergoing," Raila said.
Edited by CM