The deaths of Benson Njiru and Emmanuel Mutura, two brothers who died after being arrested by police officers in Embu for violating curfew has been one of the main drivers of wide-scale criticisms across the country over policing injustice in Kenya.
Post-mortem revealed that the brothers died of multiple head and rib injuries
According to the post-mortem carried out at Embu Level Five Hospital mortuary, the victims, Benson Njiru, 23 and Emmanuel Mutura, 19 succumbed to injuries inflicted by a blunt object.
Pathologist Kamau Wangari observed that Mutura's head was deformed and bore bruises in the face while Njiru ribs had been broken. Dr Wangari also said that Njiru's brain had an injury.
On Thursday, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) announced that it has opened investigation into the deaths of two at the hands of police officers.
What happened in Kianjokoma?
Njiru, who was a student at Kabarak University, and Mutura, a a student at Don-Bosco Technical Training Institute, were last seen on Sunday at 10pm in Kianjokoma village in Embu, where it is said they were arrested for being outside during curfew hours.
On the spot are five officers, who it has been established arrested the two men. They claimed that the two jumped from a moving police vehicle without them noticing, and died on the spot, as they were being driven to the police station.
The family disagrees, saying the bodies of the two brothers were found more than 30 kilometres from their home, and nowhere near the Manyatta Police Post where it is said they were taken on being arrested.
The Nation team has seen a police report from the night when the two men were arrested. It states that they jumped out of a police vehicle without the officers who were guarding them noticing.
Although the report does not show the exact time they were arrested, it says that they were discovered missing from among those who were under arrest at about 2am on Monday.
The police vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser, was being driven by police constable James Mwaniki. It had five police officers, and 10 people who had been arrested.
Two officers were in the front cabin with the driver, while two others — a Police Constable Sang and Police Constable Cherono — were guarding those under arrest. The vehicle was heading to Karau Police Post to pick one more person who had been arrested, before heading to Manyatta Police Post.
