Kenya: AP Officer Charged Afresh for Murder of Civilian in Kwale

10 February 2023
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Bruhan Makong

Nairobi — An Administration Police Constable has been charged afresh with the murder of a civilian in Kwale four years ago.

The alleged crime took place in Mwenza Village, Likoni, Kwale County in 2018.

On Thursday, Yunus Athman Ali denied the murder charges leveled against him before Lady Justice Anne Ong'injo at the Mombasa High Court.

The Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions said, Ali's co-accused Mohammed Karega Kassim, is now a prosecution witness and will testify in the trial.

According to ODPP, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) filed an affidavit against the release of the suspect arguing that he is also connected with another murder.

"IPOA filed an affidavit opposing the release of Ali on bond, as they are investigating him on another allegation of murder,"

He is alleged to have murdered Albert Wekesa, a boda boda rider in May 2022, and his body found along Dongo Kundu Road in Kwale County.

The ODPP said the suspect will remain at the Shimo la Tewa Maximum Prison awaiting a court ruling on the matter slated for next month.

Cases of cops killing citizens has been on the rise in the country in recent years.

A week ago, former Policeman Frederick Leliman was sentenced to death in the murder of lawyer Willie Kimani, his client, and a driver.

Three other former police officers and an informer who collaborated with him were handed between 20 and 30-year jail terms.

"The first accused is sentenced to death in each of the three counts, the second accused is sentenced to 30 years imprisonment in each of the three counts with the prison terms running concurrently," Justice Jessie Lesiit said in sentencing them on Feb 3.

They include Stephen Cheburet who will serve 30 years, Sylvia Wanjiku 24 years and informer Peter Ngugi who will be in jail for 20 years.

They were all sentenced by Justice Jessie Lesiit who ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt in linking the four officers to the murder of the lawyer, his client, and a driver who were all abducted and murdered in cold blood.

A fourth former police officer, Leonard Mwangi, was acquitted when he turned into a witness.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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