4 Kenyan Policemen Charged in Deaths of Lawyer, Client and Driver
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Version 0 of 1. NAIROBI, Kenya — A high court in Kenya charged four police officers with murder on Monday in connection with what human rights groups are calling the extrajudicial killings of an activist lawyer, his client and their taxi driver in late June. Rights groups believe that foul play was behind the deaths of the three, and have demanded an investigation into this case and other allegations of police corruption and heavy-handed tactics. The four officers — Frederick Leliman, Leonard Maina, Stephen Morogo and Silvia Wanjohi — pleaded not guilty on Monday, court documents showed. They are accused of killing Willie Kimani, 32, a human rights lawyer, and his client Josphat Mwenda, 27, along with their driver, Joseph Muiruri, 27, on June 23. The three disappeared after Mr. Kimani and Mr. Mwenda made a court appearance in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, and their bodies were found in a river a week later. Mr. Kimani had filed a complaint alleging that Mr. Mwenda had been shot and wounded by the police in April. After lodging the complaint, Mr. Mwenda was charged with a range of fabricated offenses, including possessing drugs and resisting arrest, according to rights activists. The four police officers were ordered held in custody until Aug. 16, when they are to reappear in court and be allowed to apply for bail. The Kenyan police force denies being involved in extrajudicial killings, saying it investigates and prosecutes any officers suspected of breaking the law. Mr. Kimani worked for the International Justice Mission rights group, based in the United States, and Mr. Muiruri was one of its trusted drivers. About 300 people marched through Nairobi on July 4 to protest the men’s disappearances, and demanded that the interior minister, Joseph Nkaissery, resign. |