Speaker Justin Muturi visits family of slain Kianjokoma brothers

Speaker Justin Muturi speaks on deaths of two Embu brothers

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has called for justice for two brothers who were found dead after they were arrested by police for allegedly violating curfew rules in Embu County.

He said the brothers, Benson Njiru (22) and Emmanuel Mutura (19), were brutally killed and pledged to pursue the matter for the bereaved family.

Speaking in Embu when he visited the family on Monday, he called on the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to speed up their probes so that those responsible for the deaths are exposed and prosecuted.

Mr Muturi, who consoled the family in Kianjokoma village today, assured the relatives that he will do everything possible to get justice for them.

Cover up

He also alleged an attempt by the police in the area to cover up the crime following the burning of a police car by a protesting mob.

"The vehicle which was used by the police to transport the brothers. It was the same one the law enforcers brought to the scene to be torched by the public. They watched as the vehicle was being set ablaze and didn't fire even a single shot to disperse the public. The vehicle, which had a lot of evidence...The officers made sure the evidence was destroyed," he said.

He called on those witnessed the arrest of the brothers prior to their death to record statements with investigating officers without fear.

"Witnesses should be protected and therefore their names should be kept secret," he said.

The boys' parents, Mzee John Ndwiga and his wife Catherine Wawira, said they are still coming to terms with the loss of their sons.

They said their children were murdered by the police and that their bodies were secretly taken to the morgue to cover up the evidence.

Following the deaths of the brothers, the government has transferred Embu North Sub-County police boss Emily Ngaruiya and Manyatta OCS Abdullahi Yaya. It has also ordered an investigation into the incident.

According to a post-mortem carried out at Embu Level Five Hospital mortuary, they died of multiple head and rib injuries inflicted by a blunt object.

Pathologist Kamau Wangari observed that Mutura's head was deformed and bore facial bruises while Njiru ribs had been broken. Dr Wangari also said that Njiru's brain had an injury.

Njiru was a student at Don-Bosco Technical Training Institute while his brother Mutura was a law student at Kabarak University.