After a long and winding journey through the justice system, High Court Judge Jessie Lesit has finally brought closure to the trial of the gruesome murders of lawyer Willie Kimani, Josphat Mwendwa, and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri. In a historic decision, officer Fredrick Leliman, the first accused in the murders, was sentenced to death.
The other co-accused, Stephen Cheburet, Sylvia Wanjiku, and police informer Peter Ngugi, were also found guilty and sentenced to 30 years, 24 years, and 20 years in prison, respectively. The judge stated that the prosecution had presented watertight evidence against the four accused, with Leliman being the key player in the murder plot.
The story of the murders dates back to April 2015, when Leliman stopped Josephat Mwenda and accidentally shot him in the hand. Mwenda’s complaint was being investigated by the International Justice Mission, an international NGO. Mwenda was later abducted from his home by Leliman and other police officers and charged with six traffic infractions. Kimani, Mwenda, and their taxi driver were finally taken on June 23, 2016, and murdered while being kept in a police container at the station.
According to Justice Lesiit, the murder was meant to interfere with the course of justice and was carried out with fear, torture, and excruciating pain. Despite numerous exhibits and witnesses presented by the other accused to prove their innocence, the judge found that the prosecution’s evidence was impenetrable and linked the four accused, with Leliman being the major role in the murder plot.
In conclusion, Justice Lesiit stated that after careful consideration of the entire evidence and submissions by both counsels, she found that the circumstantial evidence justified the guilt of the accused beyond any other reasonable hypothesis besides that of guilt.
The sentencing of the accused brings an end to the six-year trial that has painted a picture of the gruesome murders of three innocent individuals. The judge’s decision serves as a warning to those who seek to interfere with the course of justice and sends a strong message that such crimes will not be tolerated in Kenya.
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