IPOA wants three cops charged with murder

IPOA wants three cops charged with murder

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has recommended murder charges against five police officers based in Nairobi, Naivasha and Kisumu over three separate murder incidents.

In the first incident, IPOA wants Kisumu-based Inspector of Police Ibrahim Leting and AP Constable Kibet Lelgo to be charged with the murder of John Abwao Onyanyi which occurred on March 1, 2014 in Kisumu.

In a statement IPOA, through its head of communication, Dennis Oketch, says investigations pointed that the man was assaulted while in custody at Masogo Administration Police Camp.

“IPOA launched investigations to unravel circumstances in which Mr. Onyanyi died and if the Masogo Administration Police Camp officers involved in the arrest were justified in the use of the force used in the incident,” read the statement in part.

“The investigations revealed that on 15th March 2014, there was an alleged cattle theft at Kibigori in Miwani. The owners of the missing cattle tracked them using a motor vehicle and thereafter a suspected rustler was killed by a mob at Chemase. The vehicle was later traced to the Masogo Sub-District hospital compound where the officers laid ambush, arrested and allegedly assaulted Mr. Onyanyi.”

IPOA says that the post mortem report concluded that the deceased died as a result of repeated blunt abdominal trauma, three broken ribs and internal thoracic bleeding.

“The IPOA investigation file was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions who concurred with IPOA’s recommendations and directed that murder charges be preferred against Inspector of Police Ibrahim Leting and AP Constable Kibet Lelgo,” added IPOA.

In the second incident, IPOA wants the DPP to charge Nairobi-based Police Constable David Lenkaldayo and Police Constable Carlisus Ekidor Apalia with the murder of Stephen Gichuru Mwihaki who was allegedly shot dead by police at Huruma area in 2015.

“The investigations revealed that on the fateful day, Mr Mwihaki’s was hosted overnight by his brother in Kiamaiko area of Nairobi County. On the fateful day, the deceased’s brother left at 5:30am and instructed Mwihaki to drop off the house keys at a local slaughterhouse. During the delivery of the house keys at the slaughterhouse at 8:00am a commotion ensued resulting in the shooting to death of Mr. Mwihaki by police officers from Huruma Police Station,” noted IPOA.

The authority says the DPP concurred with its recommendations that murder charges be preferred against Police Constable David Lenkaldayo and Police Constable Carlisus Ekidor Apalia.

In the third incident, IPOA wants Naivasha-based Anti Stock Theft officer Constable Evans Maliachi Wiyema to be charged with the murder of Moses Wanyoike in 2014 who was a fisherman on Lake Naivasha.

“The investigations revealed that on the fateful day, Crescent Island of Lake Naivasha lodged a report for the theft of a sheep the previous day. At 8.00am of the same day, as was his norm, Mr. Wanyoike went fishing together with two other fishermen. During the course of the day, the weather became windy and cloudy forcing the three to seek refuge on the shores of the Crescent Island.”

“It was while they were taking refuge that they were accosted and Mr. Wanyoike shot in the head by one of two ASTU officers. He was abandoned for dead and his two colleagues were arrested,” adds IPOA.

His body was discovered on July 27, 2014 at the scene following an uprising by the members of the public.

The DPP also concurred with IPOA’s recommendations and directed that Police Constable Evans Maliachi Wiyema be charged for murder.

Want to send us a story? Submit on Wananchi Reporting on the Citizen Digital App or Send an email to wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke or Send an SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp on 0743570000

Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet.

latest stories