Internal Affairs Unit probes senior officers’ link in Kianjokoma brothers’ deaths

The grave where two Slain Kianjokoma brothers were buried. The family is grieving again after losing a grandmother barely days after the burial. August 23, 2021. [Muriithi Mugo, Standard]

The Internal affairs Unit of the police service is still investigating the conduct of senior officers at the station that led to the death of the two Kianjokoma brothers.

It is looking to establish any broken link in command leadership that led to the deaths of Benson Njiru and Emmanuel Mutura.

The authority says it will take action against any commander found responsible for any leadership lapses.

The IAU and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority are tasked with checking and determining the extent to which police officers use their powers, including the use of force during enforcement.

On August 1, at around 9.30 pm, a team of officers from the Manyatta police station went on night patrols within the Kianjokoma market.

The six are Benson Mputhia, Consolata Njeri, Martin Wanyama, Nicholas Sang, Lillian Cherono and James Mwaniki.

During the patrol, they arrested 10 prisoners for contravening curfew orders and selling liquor after hours.

As they were escorting the prisoners to the station, the deceased allegedly jumped off from the moving patrol motor vehicle and died.

A post-mortem report concluded that the two were killed using a blunt object with multiple injuries on their heads.

The incident sparked riots within the Kianjokoma area where the Kibugu police station vehicle was burnt by rioters.

Investigations established the six officers were responsible for the deaths of Njiru and Mutura.

The six police officers later dropped a case in which they were seeking the exhumation of the bodies after the High Court declined to suspend their plea-taking.

They dropped the case immediately after Justice Weldon Korir dismissed their application. Their lawyer Dunstan Omari informed the court that the case should be marked as withdrawn.

Justice Korir said since they had appeared before Justice Daniel Ogembo, they should re-appear before him and plead to him to postpone taking a plea.