Embu brothers: Ipoa wants 6 police officers charged with murder
Emmanuel Mutura, 19, and Benson Njiru, 22, the brothers who were found dead after police arrested them during curfew hours.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) has recommended the suspension and prosecution of six police officers for the murder of two brothers from Kianjokoma in Embu County.
The officers were suspended after the conclusion of investigations into the deaths of Benson Njiru, 22, and Emmanuel Mutura, 19. The two were found dead earlier this month after being arrested by police during curfew hours.
In a statement on Monday, Ipoa said it had forwarded its findings and recommendations to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for consideration.
It wants the officers, whose identities have been withheld, charged with murder.
"The outcome of this investigation has established a prima facie case against six police officers for the offence of murder," Chief Executive Officer Anne Makori said in the statement.
"Ipoa makes the recommendations that the officers be relieved of their duties immediately, pending the outcome of an independent review of the findings that will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions. As it stands now, the six officers face a capital offence – murder. This recommendation is not likely to take a different direction.”
Inspector-General of Police Hilary Mutyambai confirmed the accused’s suspension, saying the step was taken to allow their prosecution.
"My sincere condolences to the Kianjokoma family. Ipoa has concluded investigations on the matter and forwarded the file to the DPP for action. All the officers have been suspended with immediate effect," he said via Twitter earlier on Monday.
He added: "I assure you that justice for the Kianjokoma brothers will be served, but this can only be done if we allow the proper due process to take place with concrete evidence that can stand a trial in the court of justice."
Acting Embu County Police Commander Kimani Wimitugo confirmed that disciplinary action had been taken against the officers who were on duty when the brothers were arrested for allegedly violating curfew regulations.
Njiru was a student at Don-Bosco Technology Training Institute while Mutura was a law student at Kabarak University.
They were reported missing on August 1 with their bodies later found at Embu County Referral Hospital mortuary.
Family members said they were brutally murdered and their bodies secretly taken to the morgue as a cover-up.
A postmortem examination revealed the brothers succumbed to head and rib injuries inflicted with a blunt object.
Their deaths sparked violent demonstrations which disrupted business in the usually calm Kianjokoma town for two days.
During the demonstrations, one protester was shot dead and two people seriously injured.
The brothers were buried in the same grave last Saturday as leaders, including President Uhuru Kenyatta, demanded justice.
