The High Court, on Thursday morning, has sentenced former Ruaraka Police OCS Nahashon Mutua to death.
He was accused of torturing a suspect, Martin Koome, to death at the Ruaraka police cells five years ago.
While delivering the ruling, Justice Stella Mutuku says the evidence was sufficient to convict the accused.
“The Prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the police caused the deceased suffering while in cells which caused his death,” the judge said.
“Only acceptance and time will heal their pain. It is an irrefutable fact that the death of Koome has deprived his family a bread winner, a husband and a father. This fact has changed their lives forever.”
“Evidence shows he tortured and killed Martin Koome in a cell five years ago,” said the judge on December 2018 when convicting Mutua.
Koome succumbed to injuries sustained after being beaten by the officer at Ruaraka Police Station during the December 2013 incident.
According to the Prosecution, Mutua forced the deceased in a drum of water and asked to immerse his head in the water for about 30 minutes. The deceased was allegedly also hit several times with a rod and later locked up in the cell, even after sustaining serious injuries.
Reports indicated that the police took him to Kenyatta National Hospital with a swollen face, deep cuts, and his wife could barely recognize him.
Koome 36 years, later died on December 20, 2013 while undergoing treatment at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
IPOA had told the court then that Mutua had interfered with the investigations by intimidating and coercing witnesses who had recorded statements with the oversight authority.
He had also tried to frame Kevin Odhiambo, another inmate at the station, for it.
The case is the first high profile conviction of an officer accused of extrajudicial killing.
Mutua has 14 days to appeal the ruling.
Kenyans reacted online with many praising the judgement.
For instance @KelvinJomo tweeted, “Justice has prevailed. I foresee a better Kenya. I foresee a country where all rights of individuals are going to be respected by all and sundry. The rogue police stand warned. Nahashon Mutua has set a precedent.”
https://twitter.com/KelvinJomo/status/1095954928223350785
"Nahashon Mutua"The custodians of impunity have writings clearly on the wall for them now,i will not talk about the corrupt and the so called cartels.
— Giravoya Giravoya (@GiravoyaB) February 14, 2019
https://twitter.com/Edwinlallo/status/1095965080880066562
Does this increase Kenyans hopes that the police service, which is mostly viewed negatively, will be cleansed? Time will tell.