Kenya court rules human rights lawyer, two others were murdered by police

Kenya’s high court on Thursday ruled a human rights lawyer and two other people who went missing before their bodies were found dumped in a river in June were murdered by police.

Lawyer Willie Kimani, his client and their driver were abducted after filing a complaint against the police. Their bodies were found a week later with a pathologist report saying they had been tortured.

Justice Luka Kimaru ruled that the three were abducted by police officers while leaving the Mavoko Law courts before they were detained in an unknown place.

“Lawyers, judges and magistrates must be protected by police in the course of duty which involves protecting [the] rights of Kenyans provided under the Bill of rights in the Constitution,” Kimaru ruled and also recommended that Kimani be recognized as a champion of justice.

The killing of the three sparked massive protests by lawyers and human rights groups across the country.

Four police officers have been charged with the killings and are still in custody.

The court is however yet to make a ruling on the accused officers.