Two officers from Kabete police station, accused of murdering their colleague and his two relatives in 2014, have been found guilty.
Benjamin Kahindi and Stanley Okoti were found to have murdered APC Joseph Makori and his two relatives Amos Okenye and Geoffrey Mogoi.
IPOA senior communications officer Dennis Oketch on Thursday said former Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko in 2015 concurred with the agency’s recommendations that the two be arraigned on three counts of murder.
Oketch said following the shooting in October 2014, IPOA launched independent investigations into the incident to unravel the circumstances under which the deaths occurred, and particularly whether the police officers were justified in the use of their guns.
He said IPOA had further ascertained that the officers misused their firearms, leading to the death of Makori and his two relatives.
Makori was a bodyguard of former late Bomachoge MP Joel Onyancha. The three victims of the shooting were walking home from a bar in Kangemi at the time of their killing.
The officers had alleged the trio were robbery suspects who were intercepted in an attempt to rob a bar.
“IPOA concluded investigations and recommended murder charges against the officers,” Oketch said in a statement.
He added: “Consequently, today justice S.N Mutuku in her judgement found police constables Kahindi and Okoti guilty of murder. Sentencing will be done on November 7”.
Oketch said the decision reiterates IPOA’s independence and commitment to safeguarding the rights of victims of police killings.
This, he said, will play a key role in bringing to life Article 244 of the Constitution. The trial of two police officers hit a snag in 2016 after witnesses failed to appear in court.
The High Court in Milimani heard the key witnesses are missing.
