This archive report was first published on 8 October 2019.
Police Kidnapped and Murdered Nairobi Lawyer Willie Kimani ¶
On June 23, 2016, human rights lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda, and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri were kidnapped and murdered by police officers in a gruesome and premeditated act.
According to a 21-page statement read in court, the police officers, led by Fredrick Leliman, had been planning to execute the three men for several hours. The statement was made by Peter Ngugi, a former police informer who was involved in the kidnapping and murder.
Ngugi's statement revealed that Leliman had approached him on June 22, 2016, and asked for his assistance in kidnapping Mwenda, who was scheduled to appear in court the next day. Leliman had complained that Mwenda was pushing for his dismissal and was being assisted by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
Ngugi met Leliman the next day and was instructed to follow Mwenda and his lawyer, Kimani, to the Mlolongo bus stage. He was given Sh2,000 to share with a woman who would identify Mwenda. Ngugi then drove to Mlolongo and met Leliman and the woman, who identified Mwenda as the man they were looking for.
Ngugi and Leliman then followed Mwenda and his lawyer to the Mavoko law courts, where they were arrested by other police officers. The three men were then driven to the Syokimau AP post and locked in a cell, while the officers converged at a bar nearby to discuss how to execute them.
As they imbibed drinks, an officer called them saying that one of the victims had managed to call his wife, informing her of the arrest. This surprised the officers because all the mobile phones belonging to the victims had been left in their vehicle.
Ngugi had a second task - to dispose of the taxi belonging to Muiruri. He drove towards Limuru, where he abandoned the vehicle at Kwa Mbira area. He also switched off the four mobile phones belonging to the victims, but he did not manage to switch off a fifth one. He threw them at different spots before heading back to Mlolongo where he rejoined the officers.
The victims were removed from the cells late in the evening and driven on Mombasa Road to a bushy area. They were handcuffed from the back.
Before the executions, the killers differed on what to do with them. Ngugi and Mwangi were of the view that they had been exposed and should set them free, but Leliman and Kamenju disagreed and insisted on executing them.
They argued for about three hours until officers manning the Mlolongo weighbridge drove to the spot and asked them what they were doing. Kamenju explained to them that they were police officers.
At around 10pm, the first victim was executed. According to the statement, it was the man who had been identified in the morning, thus Mwenda. As the officers executed him using a rope and putting a plastic bag on his face, Ngugi was told to watch over the vehicle carrying the other victims.
The second victim was executed around 11pm and the third one was killed almost immediately. The bodies were put in sacks. Being taller than the other victims, the killers used two sacks for the third victim.
After executing them, Kamenju said he knew of a good spot in Ol-Donyo Sabuk, where they would dispose of the bodies. They drove towards City Cabanas and took the Eastern by-pass towards Ruiru, in two vehicles. Ngugi drove the vehicle carrying two bodies, while the officers were in the second vehicle carrying the third body.
The bodies were later thrown to Athi River in Ol-Donyo Sabuk, the killers having accomplished their mission. They drove back to Mlolongo where they resumed their drinking.
Ngugi's statement was made voluntarily, without any promises, inducement, or threats. He was cross-examined by lawyers Cliff Ombeta, Katwa Kigen, and Kevin Michuki.
A postmortem report presented in court showed that the three victims had fractured skulls and injuries on their chests, necks, and faces.
