King’ong’o inmate accused of killing fellow prisoner implicates warders

An inmate at King’ong’o prison accused of killing a fellow prisoner Thursday implicated three warders in the incident.

Mr Peter Gachau made the allegations in court, even as he denied killing Mr Shem Mugendi Jeremiah using a hammer on August 17.

After taking the plea, Mr Gachau pointed out that three prison waders whom he identified as Sergeant Kariuki, Inspector Matimo and Superintendent Muindi have been threatening him and telling him not to mention them in the hearing of the case.

“The three officers are involved in this case and they even beat me up. They used a rungu to hit me on the head and legs, breaking one of my leg joints,” he said.

He told the court that he needs urgent treatment and X-ray taken to show the extent of the injuries he sustained.

But King’ong’o Prison Chief Inspector Isaack Muriungi said the accused has never reported the matter to prison authorities.

Mr Muriungi also said prisoners have a right to be treated and if he had been injured, he should have reported.

“The officers the accused person is talking about are junior officers in the prison. If he had reported the allegations to the prison administration, investigations would have been done,” said Mr Muriungi.

MAKE FORMAL COMPALINTS

State Counsel Allan Wanjohi said Mr Gachau should make formal complaints to the prisons authorities for action to be taken.

“The accused person is making serious allegations which the court cannot just take as they are. A written complaint should be presented” he said.

Mr Gachau is alleged to have attacked his cellmate Mr Mugendi, after disagreeing on how to share a Sh27,000 ransom collected from people using a mobile phone.

Mr Mugendi is alleged to have withdrawn some of the money, deregistered the mobile phone line and registered it afresh in his name.

Police say that when Mr Gachau, 41, came to know of it, he demanded that his cellmate refunds him the money.

A disagreement then ensued between the two men during which Mr Gachau whipped out the hammer he had sneaked into the cell and hit Mr Mugendi several times in the head, killing him instantly.

Mr Mugendi, 36, a former Administration Police officer, was serving his first year at King’ong’o after he was jailed for 15 years for rape.

On his part, Mr Gachau has been serving a life sentence for robbery with violence. He was initially sentenced to death in 1998 for the offence, before this was reduced to life sentence after he won an appeal.

Justice J. Mativo ordered the prison authorities to investigate the alleged threats made to the accused. He also ordered that the accused be taken to hospital for treatment.

The case will be mentioned on September 30, 2015.