Residents call for arrest of policemen linked to death of minor

17-year-old Eric Mwenda (centre). Mwenda died after he was allegedly beaten up by police officers in Igembe South. [Darlington Manyara, Standard]

Residents of Kiraone village in Igembe South want two Administration Policemen and a chief suspected of killing a teenager arrested.

Eric Mwenda, 17, was alleged to have died after being beaten while in police custody.

The calls to have the two officers and the chief arrested and charged with murder were made on Friday as the teenager was buried on Friday.

“It is very hurting that despite the boy having succumbed to the injuries he got from the beating, the family is still being taken round in circles as they seek justice,” said John Gikunda, a community leader.

A postmortem examination conducted by Dr Scholastica Kimani at the Meru Level Five Hospital revealed that Mwenda had sustained injuries on his head and private parts.

Family lawyer Igeweta Murithi, who had been assigned by Independent Medico-Legal Unit, witnessed the two-hour examination of the boy's body.

It is alleged that Mwenda was tortured while in custody at Kiraone AP Post on June 6.

He succumbed to the injuries on June 12 while undergoing treatment at Chaaria Mission Hospital in Imenti Central.

Mwenda was arrested on suspicion of stealing Sh20,000 from a relative.

Igembe South police boss Rashid Mohammed said they had opened an inquiry file to document accounts of witnesses before taking action.