Ex-officer Leliman sentenced to death over lawyer Willie Kimani murder
Former police officer Fredrick Leliman has been sentenced to death over lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda and driver Joseph Muiruri murder in 2016.
Leliman’s co-accused Stephen Cheburet Morogo and Sylvia Wanjohi who were also found guilty of the henious act have been sentenced to 30 and 24 years respectively.
While delivering the ruling today, Justice Jesie Lessit said Leliman was the mastermind of the “sophisticated murder” stating that the murder was the foulest with meticulous planning and execution.
“The first accused while he clearly had a grudge with the deceased Mwendwa he captured and killed the deceased Kimani and deceased Muiruri not caring about their lives and the fact that they had not done anything to him to deserve what he did to them. They were collateral damage,” Justice Lessit stated
“Being a police officer who had been employed and paid salary with public funds to protect lives acted in flagrant abuse of his office and acted contrary to the duties and responsibilities he was employed for,” Lessit added
The prosecution produced 46 witnesses in court to testify against the accused persons who in their defence brought forth 36 witnesses to defend them from the charges.
The accused were however given 14 days to appeal the ruling.
Kimani who was a human rights lawyer, his client and driver were abducted on June 23, 2016 shortly after leaving Mavoko Law Courts, Athi River, where they were pursuing a case against a police.
The bodies of the three were recovered stashed in sacks and dumped in Ol-Donyo Sabuk River after they went missing on 22nd June, 2016.
