Ex-police officers jailed for 35 years for killing a man for not wearing mask

Two ex-police officers have been sentenced to 35 years in prison by the Eldoret High Court after they were found guilty of torturing and killing a twenty-one-year-old before dumping his body in River Nzoia in 2020.

Delivering the verdict, Justice Reuben Nyakundi said the two were convicted of murder after the prosecution proved beyond a reasonable doubt that they indeed tortured and murdered the deceased, Dennis Luvasa, who had been held at Mbururu police post before dumping his body into the river.

Nyakundi ruled that the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Emmanuel Wafula and Godwine Wekesa were directly responsible for the unlawful death. A

According to court proceedings, the incident traces back to 2020, when the officers first arrested Lusava for allegedly not wearing a face mask in public.

Members of the public intervened, rescuing him from the officers during the initial encounter. However, days later, the two officers are said to have tracked him down and detained him again at the same station.

The officers allegedly used an acquaintance to lure him back to the police post.

While in custody, Lusava was reportedly handcuffed and tortured, leading to his death. The court was told that they secretly removed Lusava’s body from the station and disposed of it in River Nzoia to conceal evidence of the torture and custodial death.

“The murder was committed with malice aforethought, and there was transactional evidence linking the two officers to a common intention in the conspiracy,” Nyakundi noted.

He condemned the abuse of power by officers entrusted with public safety and highlighted their lack of remorse and failure to pursue any form of accountability or restitution.

The judge found that the aggravating factors, particularly the breach of public trust, outweighed any mitigating circumstances, and sentenced each officer to 35 years in prison.