2 witnesses testify as Kianjokoma brothers death trial commences

The criminal case in the murder of the two Kianjokoma brothers in August last year commenced on Wednesday at the Milimani Law Courts with John Mugendi, a 19-year-old student at John Bosco Boys Township Polytechnic, a friend of the deceased, being introduced as the first witness.
Mugendi narrated to the court how he was at a Play Station with his friend, Chris Dan when Benson Njiru called him to let him know that he and his brother, Emmanuel had closed up their parents’ pork butchery and they wanted to meet him.
He stated that they met the two brothers outside the Play Station and decided to go to Mamuru Club where Benson and Emmanuel declined to drink to avoid hangovers the next day.
He explained that at around 9:45pm, Benson called his mother to let her know their way home when they left the club, they spotted a police land cruiser.
Mugendi said that outside the land cruiser was a tall man in a cream hoodie and a mask holding a huge, white stick of about a meter.
The man talked to someone inside the land cruiser, who stepped outside, which prompted Benson to tell the boys to run back towards Mamuru.
According to Mugendi, Emmanuel Mutura fell down and Benson went back to help him up.
The witness claims to have ran forward into a ditch, which he used as an hiding spot from where he could see Benson.
“I heard a bang and an ‘uuff’ sound. Like someone being beaten.” John told the court. He peeped and saw the man in the hoodie beat Benson on the shoulder, then push him into the cruiser.
Mugendi claims to have ran home and left the cruise at the same spot.
Chris Dan Mureithi, the second prosecution witness, confirmed the details given by John Mugendi.
He clarified that as the four walked out of Mamuru Club, John and Benson were leading while he and Emmanuel were at the rear.
He also stated that the bang sound he heard from his hiding spot at a dark backstreet, a block away from the spot Emmanuel had tripped over, was of a body being hit.
Defense counsel Lawyer Danstan Omari applied for the charge sheets for the curfew arrests to be used as Defense Material in the matter.
In the case, 6 police officers have been charged with the murders of two brothers, Benson Njiru Ndengwa and Emmanuel Mutura Ndengwa, in Kianjokoma, Embu County.
The 6 are Benson Mputhia, Consolata Kariuki, Nicholas Cheruiyot, Martin Wanyama, Lilian Cherono and James Mwaniki.
The hearing will continue on March 3, May 9 and 16, 2022.