Willie Kimani murder trial: I shot Josephat Mwenda, Fredrick Leliman tells court
Police officer Fredrick Leliman in a Nairobi Court on July 18, 2016 over the murder of lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri.
A senior Administration Police officer facing charges of murdering three people among them a bodaboda operator Josephat Mwenda on Monday recalled shooting the motorcycle rider for allegedly resisting arrest.
Fredrick Leliman told the trial judge that he was called by his boss at Mlolongo while on patrol on April 10, 2015 over a report from villagers that a group of gamblers who would later steal from members of the public.
He said one of his colleagues confronted Mr Mwenda who allegedly removed a knife. Mr Leliman said he pleaded with the man to drop the knife but he refused leaving him with no option but to shoot at him. He said he shot him in the right hand.
Kidnapped Mr Mwenda
According to the accused person, they administered first aid to Mr Mwenda before taking him to hospital where he was treated and discharged.
Asked by his lawyer Cliff Ombetta whether he later pursued Mwenda to withdraw a complaint he filed against him at the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Mr Leliman dismissed the claims. He also dismissed claims that he kidnapped Mr Mwenda.
“It’s a lie that I wanted him to withdraw a complaint he filed at IPOA,” he said.
Evidence presented before trial judge Jessie Lesiit was that Mr Mwenda was threatened twice over the complaint he had filed at IPOA.
Mr Mwenda was first threatened in 2015, when three officers from Mlolongo, including Mr Leliman, visited his home at night.
He was arrested and later charged with three counts of possessing bhang, gambling and resisting arrest. He was arrested again and more charges- mostly traffic offences, preferred against him.
Mr Leliman, Mr Stephen Cheburet, Ms Sylvia Wanjiku and Mr Leonard Maina Mwangi, all AP officers and Peter Ngugi, have denied murdering Mr Mwenda, lawyer Willie Kimani, and taxi driver Joseph Mururi. The five were put on their defence by Justice Lesiit.
The three were kidnapped after leaving the Mavoko Law Courts on June 23, 2016. They later disappeared only for their bodies to be recovered one week later, at River Athi, near Donyo Sabuk.
The defence hearing continues.
