NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 10 – National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has asked security forces to undertake thorough investigations into the mysterious deaths of two brothers in Embu.
Muturi said it is the responsibility of police to and the Witness Protection Agency to safeguard witnesses who will testify in the ongoing investigations into the deaths that occurred last week when the two brothers Emmanuel Mutura and Benson Njiru were were found dead after arrest.
“This story is extremely troubling and that is why we want the investigators to do their job and make sure that the family gets justice,” Muturi said when he condoled the family.
According to witnesses, the two boys were among several people who were arrested during curfew time, and were assaulted by police.
Some of the witnesses who spoke to investigators said they boys were not booked at the police station and were instead driven away and were not seen until the following day when their bodies were found dumped in a mortuary.
The investigations are being undertaken by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) that is based at Police headquarters.
Njiru who was aged 22 was a final year student at Don Bosco Technical Institute, Nairobi while his brother Mutura aged 19 was a second-year law student at Kabarak University.
He in particular asked the Witness Protection Agency under the office of the Attorney General to make sure that all witnesses are protected until the matter is concluded.
“We want assurance that the witnesses who are assisting in the investigations will be protected,” Muturi said.
He accused the police of trying to conceal evidence when they allowed the vehicle that was used to transport the two brothers to be torched during protests by locals.
“The police never fired a shot when the vehicle was being set on fire. The implication and suggestion seem to be they brought it there to destroy evidence,” Muturi said.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Edward Mbugua last week ordered for the transfer of Embu North Sub-County police boss Emily Ngaruiya and Manyatta OCS Abdullahi Yaya to pave way for investigations.
According to a post-mortem report carried out at Embu Level Five Hospital mortuary, the two brothers died of multiple head and rib injuries inflicted by a blunt object.
