A police officer has today been sentenced to death while two of his colleagues will serve lengthy jail terms for the brutal killing of human rights lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda and his driver Mr Joseph Muiruri.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority welcomes the sentencing.
By sending former police Sergeant Fredrick Leliman to the gallows, Court of Appeal Judge Jessie Lessit noted he was the mastermind of the killings.
The gist of the murder trial was a plot to silence Mwenda, a bodaboda rider who before his death had lodged a complaint with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, against Leliman.
The others jailed are Stephen Cheburet Morogo (30 yers) and Sylvia Wanjiku Wanjohi (24years) as well as police informer Peter Ngungi Kamau (20 years).
On July 22, 2022 Leliman was found guilty alongside his colleagues Stephen Cheburet Morogo and Sylvia Wanjiku Wanjohi as well as police informer Peter Ngungi Kamau.
At the time of the killings, on June 23, 2016, the Authority was investigating Leliman for the shooting of Mr. Mwenda, in which he sustained injuries on April, 10, 2015.
On July 22, 2022 Leliman was found guilty alongside his colleagues Stephen Cheburet Morogo and Sylvia Wanjiku Wanjohi as well as police informer Peter Ngungi Kamau.
A fourth police officer Mr. Leonard Maina Mwangi was acquitted after the court gave him a benefit of doubt.
However, Mr. Mwangi is facing another murder charge at the High Court in Machakos, following investigations by the Authority.
IPOA Chairperson noted: “The Court has pronounced itself and the Authority expresses satisfaction with the verdict and sentences. We agree with the Court in meting out sentences commensurate with the gravity of the matter. It should serve not only as a relief to the relatives, friends and colleagues of the deceased persons but a deterrent to law enforcement officers who use their power to infringe on the rights of citizens as well as frustrate efforts of the agencies that the public looks up to, when seeking redress for their grievances. In this case, the learned Judge noted that the murder of Mr Mwenda was plotted and planned to compromise an IPOA investigation, in which the first convict, Leliman was accused of using a privately-owned firearm to shoot an injure Mr. Mwenda. The other two victims were collateral damages.”
Besides the Court, IPOA also thanks partners who made the conclusion of this matter possible including the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions and the International Justice Mission as well as the professional officers of the National Police Service.
IPOA remains committed to being independent, impartial and fair.