The events that unfolded in a Milimani courtroom on Monday brought back painful memories for many who followed the Kianjokoma case four years ago.
The court listened to fresh testimony that added more detail to what may have happened on the night the two brothers, Boniface Njiru and Emmanuel Mutura, lost their lives.
The case involves six police officers who are accused of causing the deaths, and the hearing continues to draw public interest because of its emotional weight and the questions that have surrounded the incident for years.
A security guard named Newton Kinyua shared what he said he witnessed on August 1, 2021. He explained that he had been working at Namuru Bar when he saw the two brothers and several other people walk out of the building at around 10 pm.
Since there was a curfew in place at the time due to COVID-19 rules, the group scattered when they spotted a police vehicle.
Kinyua said he hid inside a nearby public toilet but could still see what was happening because the area was well lit.According to his testimony, one officer jumped out of the police v
hicle holding a long stick. Kinyua said the officer struck Boniface several times until he appeared to lose consciousness.
He stated that Emmanuel came out of Wahome Building after noticing his brother was in trouble and tried to help him.
At that moment, another officer teamed up with the one holding the stick and began to hit and kick Emmanuel until he fell to the ground.
Kinyua told the court that Boniface, who was not moving, was lifted into a police Land Rover by the officers.
He added that Emmanuel, although badly injured, was still alive when he was placed into the same vehicle.
The police vehicle then drove away toward Kianjokoma hospital. Kinyua said he later saw it leave the hospital, and the next day he learned that both brothers had died.
He mentioned that he knew them because they operated a local butchery.During cross-examination, defence lawyers asked him whether he saw the brothers jump from a moving police vehicle, which had been a previous claim made earlier in the case.
Kinyua said he did not witness anything like that.The six officers facing charges are James Mwaniki Njogu, Benson Mbuthia, Consolota Kariuki, Nicholas Cheruiyot, Martin Wanyama, and Lilian Cherono. They denied the allegations when they took plea in 2021 and were later released on bond. Judge Margaret Muigai is now presiding over the case after the earlier judge, Daniel Ogembo, passed away.
Justice Ogembo had ruled that the accused should not visit Kianjokoma village while the case was ongoing.
The deaths of the brothers had triggered widespread protests in Embu, with one police vehicle being burned by angry residents.
The case remains sensitive, and more witnesses are expected to testify when the hearings continue on February 12 and 19, 2026.
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