- The officers charged with the murder of the brothers include Benson Mputhia, Consolata Kariuki.
- Others are Nicholas Cheruyoit, Martin Wanyama, Lilian Chemuna and James Mwaniki.
Image: FILE
The trial of six police officers charged with the murder of two Kianjokoma brothers will be heard from May 16.
The case was to be heard on Monday but the court was informed that the prosecution counsel was away on official duty.
High Court judge Daniel Ogembo adjourned the case and directed the parties to appear in court next week Monday for hearing.
In March during previous hearing, the court was told the older Kianjokoma brother may have sacrificed his life in an attempt to save his younger brother before they were both killed.
Chris Dan Murimi, a childhood friend of Benson Ndwiga and Emmanuel Ndwiga— the two brothers who were found murdered after arrest in Embu—told court he saw Benson going back to rescue his younger brother Emmanuel as police armed with a long wooden stick approached them.
Murimi told justice Ogembo that he, Benson, Emmanuel and another friend identified as John Mugendi were walking back home on August 1, 2021 when they saw a police land cruiser.
Benson was the first to spot the police vehicle and alerted them.
Shortly after, the court heard that a police officer who was standing beside the car charged at them, and they decided to run.
“As we were running, Emmanuel tripped, I looked back and saw him down. Then I saw Benson holding back, then he went back to the direction where Emmanuel was,” Murimi said.
When asked by lawyer Dorcas Mwae why they decided to run from the said police officer, Murimi said it was because the one who was running towards them “was huge, masculine and was approaching them in an aggressive manner carrying a huge wooden stick”.
Asked why he believed the man with a wooden stick was a police officer, Murimi explained it was because he was standing beside the land cruiser.
He told court claims that the two brothers jumped off a police car could not be true.
Asked to clarify his statement, the witness said because of the brother’s characters, he does not believe they jumped.
They are not capable of jumping out of a police vehicle. I know their character.”
The officers charged with the murder of the brothers include Benson Mputhia, Consolata Kariuki, Nicholas Cheruyoit, Martin Wanyama, Lilian Chemuna and James Mwaniki.
In their opening statement, the prosecution said they will prove to court that the six officers planned the killing of the two brothers.
-Edited by SKanyara