- The former police informer told court that after dumping the bodies of the victims, they were hosted by Fredrick Leliman and his wife at his bar in Mlolongo.
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He admitted visiting Mlolongo police station before the killings from June 22 to June 30 and meeting police officers who were involved in the murder.
Image: ENOS TECHE
More shocking revelations emerged Friday in Willie Kimani murder trial.
Peter Ngugi, a former police informer, continued to unravel the scheme that was hatched by officers from Mlolongo police station leading to the brutal 2016 killings.
He told court that after dumping the bodies of Kimani, Josephat Mwenda and Joseph, which he referred to as ‘mizigo mirefu’, they were hosted by Fredrick Leliman and his wife at his bar in Mlolongo.
He said Leliman’s wife, Esther Muthama, also a police officer, served them beer and 5kg of fried beef.
“There were two ladies serving us at the bar. I saw one in court the other day, and she said she was Leliman's wife," Ngugi said.
Asked how he knew that was Leliman’s wife, Ngugi said he tried to seduce her before Leliman arrived, but was cautioned by officer Wilson Kamau that “that’s mzee’s wife.”
Ngugi said he was also afraid and could not mention Leliman before because, when they were arrested, his wife and Leliman’s wife met in court and exchanged numbers, so at that point his family got exposed.
“I swear Leliman was there and he bought us more beer. I can’t lie about it and this is not about being forced. I am doing it willingly,” Ngugi said.
Image: ENOS TECHE
On Tuesday this week, Muthama was in court and gave contradictory evidence, saying they (Leliman and her) were both at home on that night and not at the club.
Ngugi told Justice Jessie Lessit that he had decided to spill the beans even though he knows his life and that of his family are still in danger.
He said he was even afraid that he would die before confessing to the heinous crime that the police officers committed, saying he regrets being used by police officers in the crime.
“Nikutumiwa nilitumiwa your honour. Niliomba mungu kwamba nisikufe na corona kabla sijatoa hii ushahidi. Roho yangu imepumzika tangu jana [I was brainwashed. I later prayed to God to save me from dying of corona before I give evidence. I am now relieved],” he said.
Ngugi said he lives in fear of being kidnapped along the road as he is taken back to remand, and killed in a similar style like that of Willie, Mwenda and Muiruri.
Ngugi admitted visiting Mlolongo police station before the killings from June 22 to June 30 and meeting police officers who were involved in the murder.
He explained how, after spying on Willie in court and reporting back, they met up again with the officers.
When they met at weigh-bridge, the spot where three victims were kidnapped, Ngugi said he was paid Sh3,000 after he dumped the car Willie used in Limuru.
Asked why he had decided to implicate more officers at the last minute, and why he did not cross-examine them when two of them testified, Ngugi said he was lying of their involvement.
"All of them are police officers from Mlolongo and I met them through OCS Stephen Lelei two weeks before June 23,” he said.
Ngugi was being cross-examined by the prosecution who wanted to know why he agreed to go and spy on the three and also drive the car to Oldonyo Sabuk without questioning the reasons.
Ngugi said he was following orders of the police because they had told him that Willie and Mwenda were notorious car thieves.
Asked about his role and what he knew about the killings, Ngugi said he did not question the officers on anything they did that day because they are officers and must be obeyed.
When asked to explain what took place at the Soweto field, the thicket field which the prosecution claims was the area where the actual killings occurred, Ngugi said he only sat in the car and smoked.
He was later directed to drive to Thika where one gunny bag was removed from the boot of his car and thrown into the river.
He was further questioned why he could have been with the officers from morning till the next day drinking.
“Police officers buy drinks like that. They buy a lot of drinks and sometimes they can buy even seven beers each, leave alone the five beers that Leliman bought us,” he said.
Ngugi was put to task to explain the involvement of Kamau in the plan to murder the three yet he did not call him to the stand to be cross-examined when he testified before court that he was in the hospital on the day of the murder.
“How come you did not ask questions when the witnesses were testifying? Is this not an afterthought and stories you are making up,” he said.
But Ngugi said he was "telling the truth."
"It was Kamau who called me and asked me to spy on the three [whom] he said were car thieves.”
(edited by Amol Awuor)