Kianjokoma 6: 10 Lawyers Representing Accused Officers Withdraw From Case

Ten lawyers representing the six police officers facing murder charges over the death of the Kianjokoma brothers have stepped down from the case.

The officers were arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on Tuesday, August 31, to answer for the murder of Emmanuel Mutura and Benson Njiru.

Following the move by the lawyers, four of the six suspects pleaded with the court they be allowed to seek new representation.

The officers; Corporal Benson Mbuthia, Corporal Consolata Kariuki and Constables Nicholas Nicholas Sang Cheruiyot, Martin Msamali Wanyama, Lilian Cherono Chemuna, and James Mwaniki appeared before Justice Daniel Ogembo for their trial.

Despite the withdrawal by the other lawyers, defence counsel Danstan Omari is still representing the police officers.

The government is being represented in the case by lawyers; Gakui Gichuhi, Everlyn Onunga, and Jacinta Nyamosi. 

The accused had earlier failed to appear before senior principal magistrate David Ndungi for the closure of a miscellaneous file in which detention orders were issued.

Omari told the court that Corporal Kairuki was sick, and could not be able to appear in court.

The officers are accused of killing the two brothers after they had arrested them for flouting curfew orders.

An autopsy conducted at the Embu Level 5 Hospital indicated that the brothers died from head and rib injuries inflicted by a blunt object.

In their defence, Omari last week argued that the brothers died after they jumped from a moving vehicle while attempting to evade arrest.

Omari filed a petition on August 26, 2021, seeking to have the bodies of the deceased exhumed.

According to Omari, the police nabbed 10 offenders on the fateful day including the two brothers, and revealed that the others are willing to testify in the case.

"We have testimonies from the ten people who have recorded their testimonies which we have shared with the court, that the boys were scheming to evade being presented in court. The eight have already been presented in court and charged with violating curfew directives," the petition read in part.

Omari petitioned that the bodies of the Kianjokoma brothers exhumed and the police officers allowed to hire their own pathologist to examine the bodies and issue a forensic report.