This archive report was first published on 24 July 2019.
On February 27, 2018, a tragic incident occurred at Kabebe Village in Meru, Kenya. Evans Njoroge, a 23-year-old fourth-year student at Meru University, was shot dead by Administration Police Constable Leakey Maina.
According to the High Court in Meru, the incident occurred when a group of over 50 students, including Njoroge, were being pursued by police into a homestead. The farmer, who wished to remain anonymous, testified that the students ran into her compound, with two female students hiding in one of her houses and several male students hiding in the garden behind a water tank.
As the police vehicle entered the compound, the farmer's daughter pointed out the direction the male students had run to. Constable Maina, who was holding a gun, quickly walked in that direction and fired a single shot. The farmer went into shock and could not summon the courage to view the body in her garden.
Under cross-examination, the farmer testified that she was not in a position to know whether Constable Maina was on duty at the time of the incident. The court heard that the police vehicle was clearly labelled Tigania West and identified a photo of a gun similar to the one Constable Maina had.
Constable Maina has denied murdering Evans Njoroge, and the hearing continues on October 16, 2018.
