King’ong’o warders sentenced to death for killing inmates

By Evelyn Kwamboka

Nine prison warders have been sentenced to death for murdering six inmates at the King’on’go Maximum Prisons in Nyeri.

The warders were found guilty of bludgeoning the inmates to death on September 3, 2000, at the prison.

They are Mr Jacob Muthee Mathiu, Mr Joseph Rukwaro, Mr Caesar Njoka, Mr Samwel Ngugi, Mr James Boit, Mr James Karanja, Mr Noor Mohammed, Mr Joshua Nyakundi and Mr John Kariuki.

Those murdered were Peter Looyar Loomukunyu, James Irungu Ndung’u, John Njoro Njuguna, Julius Mugaina M’murea, Peter Nkurushane Emashe and Peter Koring who were Block E inmates.

Justice Nicholas Ombija said the warders used crude weapons on the inmates and took issue with prison authorities for trying to cover up the incident.

"There was massive conspiracy to cover the six deaths and prison authorities were economical with the truth," he said.

The judge said a signal prepared on September 4 regarding the incident contradicted the one for 5. Two registers that could have unraveled whether the prisoners escaped through the gate also went missing.

Worst cover-up

"It was the worst cover-up of the brutality. Unlike prison authorities, the police told the court the truth," he said.

The judge dismissed the theory that the inmates sustained multiple injuries when they scaled a 24 feet wall at the prison, while escaping.

The judge said the inmates did not scale the wall but were discharged through the main gate at 2am on the fateful night.

The court said each of the nine warders played a different role on the fateful night and were all armed with crude weapons.

"It is clear the officers used the weapons. Medical reports including pictures taken at the scene speak for themselves. The six had injuries to the head and had no gunshot wounds," he said.

He held reports by pathologists that the extensive head injuries were caused by blunt objects such as hammers or iron bars.

"If they were escaping, they could have prepared themselves psychologically and landed safely by scaling the 24-feet wall. They could have only had injuries on their lower limbs or heads depending on how they landed," he added.

The judgment was made yesterday after the court heard a total of 36 prosecution witnesses and the defence case.