Confession: How we killed lawyer Kimani, his client, and taxi driver

A former police informer has admitted before a judge that he was instructed to spy on a suspect who was later murdered alongside human rights lawyer Willie Kimani and a taxi-driver, and their bodies dumped in a river five years ago.

Appearing before Justice Jessie Lesiit, Mr Peter Ngugi gave a graphic account of the events of June 23, 2016. He said he went to the Mavoko Law Courts, witnessed the kidnapping of the three men, drove the taxi belonging to Joseph Muiruri and abandoned it in Limuru, and saw the dumping of the three bodies in Athi River in Donyo Sabuk, Machakos County.

Giving evidence with the guidance of his lawyer Kevin Michuki, Mr Ngugi told Justice Lesiit that, on that morning, he was called by a police officer whom he identified as Wilson Kamau, and instructed to proceed to Mavoko Law Courts in Mlolongo to follow “a thief”.

Mr Ngugi is jointly charged with police officers Fredrick Leliman, Stephen Morogo, Leonard Maina and Sylvia Wanjohi with murdering Kimani, his client Josphat Mwenda and Muiruri. 

All the accused have denied the charges. Mr Ngugi, then a second-hand clothes seller, was on his way to Gikomba market when he received the call from Mr Kamau. He confessed that he used to pass information on various incidents to Mr Kamau from time to time.

He proceeded to Mlolongo and was asked to go to the court where the suspect would be pointed out to him. He said that, after the court session, he called Mr Kamau who told him to stand outside the gate for a vehicle to pick him up

He said the vehicle followed the taxi driven by Muiruri, and which was carrying Kimani and Mwenda. At the Athi River railway crossing, Kimani, Mwenda and Muiruri were kidnapped and bundled into another vehicle, he said.

Mr Ngugi said Mr Kamau then instructed him to drive the taxi and leave it in Limuru, 60 kilometres away. The court heard that Mr Ngugi drove the taxi to Limuru and handed it to another police officer.

He boarded a matatu back to Mlolongo, where he joined Mr Kamau and two other police officers, Waingo and Kamenchu, in a pub at night. Mr Leliman later joined them.

While there, someone called Mr Leliman and told him that the “suspects” who were locked up at the Syokimau AP Camp were being sought by their relatives and co-workers.

Mr Ngugi said they left Mlolongo and proceeded to Syokimau in the company of seven police officers in two vehicles.

“We loaded long parcels in gunny bags into two vehicles, then we drove towards Thika, but ended up at a river where we threw the parcels in,” Mr Ngugi recalled.

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