KENYA: NINE WARDERS SENTENCED TO DEATH

December 18, 2008: nine prison warders were sentenced to death for the murder of six inmates at the King’ong’o Maximum Prison in Nyeri, Kenya, eight years ago. Delivering his judgment, Mr Justice Nicholas Ombijja accused prison authorities of a massive cover-up of brutality as evidence was either destroyed or hidden.
The warders are Jacob Muthee, Joseph Rukwaro, Caesar Mwangi, Samuel Ngugi, James Karanja and John Kariuki. Others are Joshua Onyango, James Cise Boit and Noor Mohammed. Justice Ombijja said evidence showed that the warders used clubs, sticks, axes and pieces of wood to kill the prisoners.
Government pathologist at the time, Dr Kirasi Olumbe and Dr Moses Njue concluded that the inmates died of multiple fractures on the skulls and limbs. “Evidence by a team of doctors cannot be faulted. There were multiple, extensive injuries on all the inmates.”
“I find that the accused persons had an intention to cause death or that they had knowledge that their act would cause death. This amounts to malice aforethought,” he said. (Sources: Daily Nation, 18/12/2008)