The trial resumed on Monday, bringing chilling eyewitness testimony that paints a grim picture of alleged police brutality on the night of August 1, 2021.

Newton Kinyua, a security guard at Namuru Bar, told Justice Margaret Muigai that he witnessed the brothers being violently assaulted before being loaded into a police Landrover.

“Boniface and Mutura were with four others when they came out of Namuru Bar and Restaurant around 10 pm. They ran in different directions when they saw the police vehicle, as it was during the Covid-19 curfew. A police officer with a long stick jumped from the vehicle and attacked Boniface,”
Kinyua recounted.

He described how Boniface was struck repeatedly until he fell unconscious, after which another officer set upon Mutura with punches and kicks.

Kinyua, who had taken cover in a public toilet, said he could see everything clearly under the electric lights.

“The two officers picked Boniface from the ground and loaded him into the Landrover. They also helped Mutura to his feet and assisted him into the vehicle. I saw it speed off towards Kianjakoma Hospital. I noticed the vehicle leave the hospital after some time,”
he testified.

Kinyua told the court that both brothers were his friends and ran a butchery business at Kianjakoma.

He learned the following day that they had died.

During cross-examination, defense lawyers Martina Swiga and Danstan Omari questioned Kinyua’s ability to identify the officers or confirm the deaths.

“I did not see the police kill the two brothers, nor did I see them jump from the moving vehicle,”
Kinyua admitted.

The six accused, James Mwaniki Njogu, Benson Mbuthia, Consolata Kariuki, Nicholas Cheruiyot, Martin Wanyama, and Lilian Cherono, have consistently denied murdering the brothers while enforcing Covid-19 curfew rules.

Their plea was entered on August 17, 2021, and the case was later inherited by Justice Muigai following the demise of Justice Daniel Ogembo.

Prosecution testimony states that police were patrolling to enforce curfew regulations when they encountered the brothers, who were walking home after closing their business.

Reports indicate that some bars in Muchagori, Embu, were operating beyond the stipulated curfew.

The mother of the deceased testified that she had called her sons to close their business and return home early, but instead, she learned that they had been killed by police.

The incident sparked public outrage in Embu County, leading to demonstrations that resulted in the burning of a police vehicle.

The defense challenged the credibility of Kinyua’s account, arguing that the incident occurred at night, during rain, making it impossible for him to clearly see or follow the police vehicle.

“The witness is relying on what he heard and saw from a distance. It is not clear whether the brothers died in the vehicle or jumped from it,” defense lawyers submitted.

Justice Muigai directed that the trial would continue with further witness testimony on February 12 and 19, 2026, with the next hearing scheduled for February 5, 2026.

The post Eyewitness Says Police Beat Kianjakoma Brothers Unconscious Before Driving Them Away appeared first on Insider Bits News.

According to investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Wairimu has been found in possession of illegally acquiring another passports, raising questions about her movements and intentions prior to her arrest and prosecution in the ongoing murder trial of killing her husband.

DCI detectives claim that Wairimu first reported that had given false information her initial passport went missing at Nyeri Police station, a fact they found to be false.

She is expected to be charges with two counts of giving false information to  public officers

The matter first came to light in the High Court before Justice Diana Kavedza, when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the investigating officer opposed her release on bail pending trial.

The government cited concerns that Wairimu’s multiple passports could facilitate flight risk and potential interference with the case.

“The accused has been found with four passports, which raises serious concerns about her intentions. Bail cannot be considered at this stage,” argued the DPP during the bail hearing at the High Court.

Wairimu, who is currently held at Langata Women’s Prison, had previously applied for bail on the grounds of being innocent until proven guilty.

However, the High Court denied her request, citing risks of witness intimidation and possible interference with the ongoing murder trial.

Investigators say the discovery of the multiple passports adds another layer of complexity to an already high-profile case that has gripped the public’s attention.

The authorities are expected to formally charge Wairimu with possession of fraudulent or multiple travel documents, alongside her pending murder trial.

“The fresh charges are serious and will be considered in the Kibera Court on November 7. This will form part of the broader investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Cohen’s death,” said a DCI official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Legal experts note that the new development could affect bail considerations, as courts often view the possession of multiple identity documents as a significant flight risk.

Sarah Wairimu remains in custody at Langata as the prosecution prepares the new set of charges.

The murder trial of her late husband, Tob Cohen, continues to attract nationwide attention, particularly as more details of her alleged premeditation and activities prior to the killing emerge.

The post Sarah Cohen’s Woes Deepen as Wairimu Faces Fresh Charges Over Multiple Passports appeared first on Insider Bits News.