Eldoret: 2 Police Officers Accused of Killing Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Jail
- Police officers Emmanuel Barasa and Godwine Wekesa were arraigned after being linked to the murder of Dennis Lusava
- The two officers assaulted Lusava, who was in custody at the Mbururu Police Station, before throwing his body into the Nzoia River
- The officers were arraigned on Monday, July 28 and sentenced to serve 35 years in prison for the crime they committed
Faith Chandianya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and Current Affairs in Kenya
Uasin Gishu: Two police officers convicted of torturing and murdering a suspect identified as Dennis Lusava have been sentenced to serve 35 years in prison.
Source: Getty Images
The suspects Emmanuel Barasa and Godwine Wekesa appeared in court on Monday, July 28, where a verdict was made in their case.
According to a statement issued by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) , the two officers committed the heinous act at Mbururu Police Post.
"The High Court has sentenced ex-police officers Emmanuel Barasa and Godwine Wekesa to 35 years in jail each, for the murder of Dennis Lusava at Mbururu Police Post in Likuyani, Kakamega county. The officers tortured Dennis to death and later dumped his body in River Nzoia," the statement read.
How did Dennis Lusava end up dead?
During the hearing into the case, the court heard that on October 4, 2022, the late Lusava was involved in an altercation with the suspects in Mbururu town.
The members of the public, however, interrupted the fight.
That was not the end of things, as the suspects intended to retaliate and thus used an acquaintance to lure Lusava to Mbururu Police Post.
Upon reaching their police station, the 21-year-old was handcuffed to a window while in custody. He was afterwards assaulted with electric cables, blows and kicks.
Agnes Ambale, Lusava's mother, stated that she found her son seriously injured. She attempted to have him released to no avail.
Did Lusava seek medical help?
Lusava attempted to seek medical care, but that too was futile, as he was eventually taken back to custody.
The doctor, who testified before the court, explained that he had heard Lusava cry in pain before he passed away.
Advocate Janice Muchemi, who represented the family in court, lauded the ruling, terming it a significant step towards fighting impunity amongst law enforcement.
Albert Ojwang' dies in custody
This comes weeks after blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang' was killed in custody at the Nairobi Central Police Station.
Ojwang' was arrested at his home in Kabondo Kasipul in Homa Bay county before he was taken to Mawego Police Station.
Source: TikTok
He was afterwards transported to Nairobi, where he died. The autopsy report showed that Ojwang was assaulted during his time in custody.
Before the report, the police had stated that Ojwang' died from self-inflicted injuries after he hit his head multiple times against th cell walls.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja stated that Ojwang' was arrested after Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat made a complaint against him over a social media post that he made.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
