2 Cops accused of killing inmate at KBC police station in Matungulu plead not guilty

MACHAKOS, Kenya, June 23 – Eric Odhiambo Amollo and Cornelius Munyao, police officers, accused of killing a 20 year-old man while in detention at the KBC police station in Matungulu, Machakos county have pleaded not guilty to murder charges.

The two officers are accused of killing Mark Lumbasi.

Appearing before Machakos High Court judge George Odunga, the two, who had initially been directed to undergo a mental assessment examination, have been cleared, with a medical report deeming them as, “fit to stand trial and medically fit,”

The two however through their lawyers pleaded not guilty and sought to be released on bond.

Justice Odunga, granted them a bond of Sh 500,000 and a surety of the same amount.

They have since been remanded to the Machakos GK Prisons.

According to preliminary investigations, Lumbasi was arrested on March, 8, 2021 along Kangundo road for allegedly stealing construction materials.

A day later however after being detained at the KBC police station in Matungulu, the family was called and allegedly informed that their kin had ended his life.

The family quickly contested the circumstances of his death accusing police of foul play.

While at the Kangundo District Hospital where the deceased’s body was being preserved, the family observed that his hands were tied on his back, while his mouth was stuffed with a face mask, foil paper and a piece of his torn shirt.

A postmortem examination however by chief government pathologist Johanssen Oduor revealed that Lumbasi had been tortured before he was killed.

“As a result of my examination, I formed the opinion that the cause of death was suffocation due to neck compression secondary to homicidal hanging. Other significant findings are multiple generalised contusions,” stated the report signed by doctors led by chief government pathologist, Dr Johansen Oduor.

The case will be mentioned on July, 7, 2021 for Pre-trial at the same court.

The two officers were arrested after the Director of Public Prosecutions advised that the two are charged with murder.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) also said that the two officers had a case to answer following investigations.