EMBU, Kenya, Aug 13- The two brothers from Embu were laid to rest on Friday, in an emotional send-off ceremony attended by among others human rights defenders and politicians.
Benson Njiru and Emmanuel Mutura died while in police custody, just three days after they had ventured into their own business. They were both university students.
Police said they were arrested for being outside past the 10pm curfew hour, which is one of the preventive measures meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 disease.
As they were buried, the nature of their death still remains a mystery and days later, no one has been arrested.
Deputy President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga called for speedy investigations, until justice is served.
But as authorities promised to leave no stone unturned, a section of Kenyans had their doubts, citing past cases where a life was lost and no one was held to account.
“If at all the criminal justice system ever works, it must for this family. I endorse and join the calls for justice,” Odinga said in a Tweet.
“No parent should ever go through the torment the Ndigwas are undergoing.”
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi also called for justice, saying it was not optional.
“The culprits must be held to account,” he said.
He added that, “I am personally pained by the deaths of the two brothers. I can’t imagine the immense grief the families of Emmanuel, Benson and Kimathi are going through. I stand in solidarity with Ndwiga’s family and leaders demanding justice.”
“We need order in this country. We need discipline. The unfortunate results of the dearth of order and discipline in the country is what we are witnessing today: senseless killings of innocent people, including children.”
Lobby groups Independent Medico Legal Unit and Amnesty International-Kenya had their representatives attending the burial.
“No parent or siblings deserve such pain,” Amnesty International-Kenya said in a Tweet.
The lobby group posed, “Isn’t police custody supposed to be a place of safety?”
“No arrests have been made. How do we protect other families from such painful grief and loss? This is the cost of police excesses. We will not tire demanding justice for the Kianjokoma brothers.”
The two died on August 1 and their bodies were found in a morgue on August 3, sparking protests among locals in Embu.
A person was shot dead during the protests as a police car was torched.
“Rest in Power Benson and Emmanuel Ndwiga. We offer our deepest condolences to the Ndwiga family at this troubling time.Justice would be Benson and Emmanuel being home with their family and loved ones,” the Kenya Human Rights Commission said in a Tweet.
The Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi said if nothing is done in pursuit of justice for two boys, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i and Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai should resign.
Senator Kipchumba Murkomen in a Tweet said, “what a painful sight. I am lost for words. I can’t just imagine what the family is going through. The policemen/women involved should by now have been arrested. The IG must take responsibility.”
President Uhuru Kenyatta is said to have directed police to expedite the investigations and ensure justice is served.
An autopsy revealed one of the Embu brothers died due to a trauma caused by a blunt object.
The other had multiple injuries.
According to initial police report, the two brothers jumped out of a moving police car on the night they died.
But human rights defenders have disputed the police narrative.
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