Kenya court orders 14-day probe into death of lawyer, 2 others

A Nairobi court has granted police prosecutors 14 days to complete investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of a human rights lawyer, Willie Kimani and two others.

Three Kenyan police officers linked to the death of a lawyer and two others have been detained for 14 days pending investigations.

The three police officers were detained over the disappearance of a lawyer and his client who had alleged mistreatment by the police, newspapers and broadcasters reported on Friday.

Lawyer Willie Kimani and his client Josephat Mwendwa had filed a complaint alleging that Mwendwa had been shot and injured by police in April.

The Director of Public Prosecutions told the court that investigations into the murder were complex and that they require more time do a thorough probe.

The relationship between Kenyans and their police force has always been sour.

Kenya’s police have often been accused of brutality and they have been blamed for a series of extrajudicial killings.

Police spokesman George Kinoti said in a statement that the three officers had been arrested in connection with the deaths and that an investigation was underway.

The Human Rights groups were also outraged at the circumstances leading to the death of one of its members as they claim that the dark days for the rule of law in Kenya had ressurected.

“These extrajudicial killings are a chilling reminder that the hard-won right to seek justice for human rights violations is under renewed attack,” said Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes.

“The Independent Policing Oversight Authority must initiate and lead prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations into the abduction, enforced disappearance and extrajudicial execution of these three people with a view to bringing criminal charges against all those reasonably suspected of responsibility,” he added.