- Lawyer Kimani, was murdered while representing Mwenda, a boda boda rider who was pursuing justice after being shot and charged with framed up charges by Officer Leliman.
- The killers were police officers Fredrick Ole Leliman, Stephen Cheburet and Silvia Wanjiku who have been convicted and sentenced.
Image: HANDOUT
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has issued an apology to the families of slain lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda and driver Joseph Muiruri for their murders seven years ago.
The three men were abducted while coming from Mavoko law court. They were briefly held at Syokimau AP Post before they were taken to a deserted field and strangled to death.
The killers were police officers Fredrick Ole Leliman, Stephen Cheburet and Silvia Wanjiku who have been convicted and sentenced.
Another convict Peter Ngugi who was part of the killing plan and confessed how the chilling murders were planned and executed is similarly serving his sentence.
Speaking during Willie Kimani's commemoration ceremony in Nairobi on Friday, Said Kiprotich, the director of operations at the DCI acknowledged that police failed the three men.
Kiprotich was one of the senior officers who led a team of investigators from the Flying Squad and Homicide Unit into the trio’s murders in 2016.
“We failed you. For what happened in June 2016, we are sorry, we should have protected Willie, Joseph and Josephat,” Kiprotich told the victims' family members.
On Friday, family, officers from International Justice Mission where Willie worked, representatives from human rights organisations, lawyers, prosecutors and police officers who investigated the crime converged to commemorate Willie and share milestones and lessons that they learned through the seven-year trial that came to an end in early February.
IJM is an international organisation that seeks to protect people living in poverty from police abuse.
Lawyer Kimani, was murdered while representing Mwenda, a boda boda rider who was pursuing justice after being shot and charged with framed up charges by Officer Leliman.
Speaking at the forum, IJM Africa-Europe president Addy Griphins said while the Willie Kimani case marks the end of a 7-year-long struggle for justice, for the families, the journey of reflection and healing will last a lifetime.
Andy said the organisation recognises the hard work that was put together by different state agencies who played a part in ensuring a just outcome was achieved.
He said the organisation appreciates the police officers who went further to give testimonies in court that helped reach a just conclusion.
"Specifically, I would like to appreciate officers Said Kiprotich, Robert Owino, Nicolas Ole Sina, Clement Mwangi, and the team that stood for a just cause during the investigations period, and tirelessly worked behind the scenes to ensure the culprits were arrested and charged," he said.
Willie Kimani’s widow Hannah Kimani told the gathering that she had a premonition of her husband's death a year before his murder.
“Our God has a funny sense of preparing his servants, during Easter Friday I had a premonition which showed me I had visited Willie but he was lying on a metallic table what was shocking was he was already dead and people were crying,” Hannah said.
She woke up and shared the dream with Willie who told her she needed to keep praying.
“One year later on June 23, 2016, Willie prepares for work leaves home smartly dressed full of life and never came back. Interestingly, when I was going to identify Willie’s body at the morgue, I was carrying my last born,” she said.
Hannah said Willie was employed in 2015 at IJM Kenya as a field investigation officer.
When he got home with the employment letter, she requested him to tell her of the job specifications.
“He replied that it was investigating a police officer so I was like you are not afraid of the police? He responded that police are human beings just like you and me and anyway, we die only once,” she said.
She also thanked IJM for the professional help they gave them saying when Willie was abducted, they called her very professionally and gave her hope that Willie will be found.
“As Willie's family, we could write a book about you but from the bottom of our hearts, we say thank you. Thank you for giving him a befitting burial and ensuring we had a roof over our heads and did not feel the scorching sun or cold of the night,” she said.
"On a lighter note, she said her firstborn son says when he grows up he wants to become a policeman and his brother says he wants to become an investigator."
Hannah said as Willie’s family got justice they hope other families do not have to experience many years of searching for justice.
"I hope the Judiciary will hasten the justice process,” she said.
"Being a policeman is a noble profession, the government should ensure our policemen have continuous professional training to remind them that they are not above the law."
(Edited by Tabnacha O)