Three police officers and a civilian have been found guilty of the murder of lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josphat Mwendwa and a taxi driver Joseph Muiruri six years ago.
While giving the final verdict, High Court judge Lady Justice Jessie Lessit ruled that the four officers Fredrick ole Leliman, Stephen Cheburet Morogo, Sylvia Wanjohi and one civilian Peter Ngugi were all guilty of murder.
However, one of the accused persons Leonard Maina was acquitted of the charges leveled against him in the brutal murder of the renowned lawyer.
During the proceedings the court ruled that Fredrick ole Leliman was the bearer of the motive to murder the three based on police radio tracking evidence.
While issuing the verdict on Friday, Justice Lessit said that the prosecution had proven the case against the four beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Lessit adding the findings by the court found the three guilty of three counts of murder.
“I accordingly reject their defences find them guilty as charged and convict them accordingly under section 322 of the criminal procedure Code,” Justice Lessit said.
Justice Lessit also ruled that Sylvia Wanjohiwho was the third accused, remained at the Syokimau Police Post from 9am to past 7pm when the three deceased persons were alive in the cells.
On the same breath second accused Stephen Morogo and fifth accused Peter Ngugi the court ruled that they were principal offenders for taking an active role in the kidnapping of the deceased.
The court also ruled the accused concealed their missing vehicle, detaining them without their disclosure and ferrying them to their murder scene.
“The burden shifted to the 3rd accused to explain how the deceased was held at the post while she was on duty without entry to the OB, how they were placed in the cells and later removed while she had custody of the keys to the cells. Instead of explaining these facts she decided to deny and mislead,” noted Lessit.
Other convicts, Chebulet and Wanjiku, and Ngugi, were found to be principal offenders.
The four accused have 14 days to appeal the ruling by Justice Lessit.
A week later, the deceased persons were abducted while leaving Mavoko Law Courts on June 23, 2016, before their bodies were discovered at the Oldonyo Sabuk River wrapped in bags.
The murder of three triggered a countrywide uproar with lawyers in the country embarking on a protest against extrajudicial killings.
According to reports the three are said to have been bundled into a vehicle and taken to Syokimau Police Post where they were locked up before they were later smuggled out and driven to a location where they were brutally murdered.
Their bodies were stashed in sacks and transported to a river in Ol Donyo Sabuk where they were dumped only to be recovered a week later on June 30 and July 1, 2016.
The verdicts by Justice Lessit bring to an end a long and tumultuous journey for family members and friends of the three. Justice has been served.