High Court Judge visits scene where University student leader was killed

MERU, Kenya, Nov, 10 – Meru High Court Judge Patrick Otieno on Tuesday visited the scene where a 23 year-old Evans Njoroge, a student leader from Meru University of Science and Technology was shot dead by a police officer.

The Judge was accompanied by a team from the Judiciary, Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and Office of the Director of Public Prosecution.

The scene is in Kabebe village, some three kilometres from the main campus, which is located in Tigania west.

At the scene before the judge, IPOA representative Beatrice Atieno was cross-examined by the accused lawyer Charles Gachichio who wanted to make a matter of record the alleged movement of the Administration Police vehicle that was used during the incident by the accused, Administration police officer Leakey Maina.

Officer Maina is accused of shooting dead Njoroge alias Kidero on February 27, 2018 during a student protest over a fee increment by the university.

During the proceedings done under the heavy rain experienced on Tuesday in the area, network challenges hindered the presentation of evidence which was being done digitally on an IPad.

This was however shortly after resolved as the court was shown the GPS of the vehicle during the fateful day.

On that fateful day, Njoroge is said to have fled from the protest and was followed by police and shot dead moments after despite pleading for his life.

The family of the deceased as well as his colleagues from the university are hopeful that justice will be served.

The case is expected to continue Wednesday at the Meru law courts.