2 Police Officers Jailed Over Murder of Suspect in Police Cell

Two police officers have been jailed after being found guilty of murdering a suspect in a police cell.

In a statement on Wednesday, April 29, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the accused, James Ogwagwa Nyakina and Jackson Kirui Kipngeno, committed the act on August 19, 2019.

Nyakina was sentenced to 30 years in prison while his co-accused, Kipngeno, received a 10-year jail term.

“Two police officers charged with the murder of a suspect in Nyamatoki police cells in Nyamira on 19th August 2019 have been jailed.

“James Ogwagwa Nyakina, a police corporal, was sentenced to serve 30 years' imprisonment, while Jackson Kirui Kipngeno, a police constable, was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment,” read the statement in part.

According to the ODPP, the court found that the two police officers who were working at the Nyamatoki police post jointly murdered Amos Kemosi Kereri.

During the case, the prosecution presented 14 witnesses to testify against the officers, successfully proving their involvement in the fatal assault.

“The prosecution established that the two officers, while on night patrol together with other police officers, arrested the deceased and took him to the said post, where the two assaulted him, and when he was taken to the hospital the following morning, he was pronounced dead,” the ODPP added.

This comes days after the ODPP secured a jail term for a Somali national linked to the outlawed Al-Shabaab terror group.

The accused Abdikarim Hassanow Hassan, alias Ali, received the sentence on Monday, April 27, at the Kahawa magistrates' court.

Hassanow was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison for being a member of Al-Shabaab, and an additional 10 years for organizing a meeting in support of a terrorist group.

“He was also sentenced to serve 10 years for the offence of Radicalization, another 10 years for recruiting members of a terrorist group and an additional 10 years for Facilitating recruitment of members of a terrorist group.

“On the charge of financing travel for terrorism purposes, the court ordered him to serve 10 years' imprisonment,” ODPP stated.