“Purchase receipt couldn’t save our sons from police bullets,” mother speaks on the cold blood murder of 2 in Mowlem.

 

BY MISSING VOICES REPORTER

Published September 1,2022

 

 

Parents and witnesses have trashed police version following the death of two fresh form four leavers shot and killed by police officers from Kinyago police post on July 18,2022.

The post falls under Buruburu sub county police headquarters in Nairobi.

 

Melvin Ngure Njeri 19 and his childhood friend Ibrahim Wacira 20,were killed on the same day at different locations and time but taken to mortuary in the same car,same time.

 

According to witnesses,the two were ambushed by two known killer police officers outside Jehova Jireh Secondary school at Shiranga in Njiru around midday.

 

Ngure’s mother, Catherine Njeri,38, said his son together with Wacira had gone to buy a TV set and were riding on a motorbike from Shiranga to their home at Saika when two police officers stopped them.

 

“My son was the one riding the motorcycle and one of the officers in plainclothes shot him from the back killing him on the spot.” Njeri told Missing Voices. She said Wacira was a pillion passenger.

 

Wacira was sitting astride the motorbike while carrying a television set that they had allegedly bought from Shiranga and had been issued with a receipt.

 

What police boss said:

 

In a twist of events,Nairobi police commander James Mugera then told local press that the duo had been killed in Mowlem area in a failed robbery.

 

Mugera said they had tried to escape on a motorcycle when police on patrol chased them.

 

“One was killed on the spot while the second one who had escaped with gunshot wounds was arrested by the public while bleeding and succumbed minutes later.”

 

Mugera was quoted as saying.According to Mugera police who attended the scene said they recovered a homemade gun that had four bullets, the motorcycle they were using and a television set that had been stolen.

 

Witnesses account:

 

Interestingly,a witness said police are not honest.

 

The witness said Wacira was not killed by the police at the same spot where Ngure was shot dead.

 

“Ngure panicked and ran away from the scene before the policeman caught up with him at a staircase leading to an adjacent building,he brought him to the scene where they had shot Ngure dead.Wacira knelt down screaming for help saying they had a receipt to show they had bought the TV but the officers did not care.” Said the witness.

 

A witness said police shot in the air to disperse members of the public. “I am sure it was a tactic so that they could plant a gun on them.” Said the witness.

 

The witness added, “Wacira was bundled into a boot of a private car the two policemen were using. He was never shot. Ngure’s body was put in a police land cruiser and Wacira was transferred from the private car into the landcruiser where Ngure’s body was lying.”

 

The witness who sought anonymity because of security reasons said Wacira was driven to Mowlem police station where he is believed to have been shot dead away from the public scrutiny.

 

“Residents claim to have heard gunshots emanating from Mowlem police station on the same day Wacira was arrested. Police must have killed him to tamper with evidence.” Said Wacira’s mother Agnes Muhunga.

 

Missing Voices has established that Mowlem police station is several kilometres away from the scene where Ngure was shot dead by police.

 

“I talked to Wacira at the scene where his friend was shot dead by the police officers. He was okey. I talked to him as police transferred him from their private car into the police landcruiser. Wacira was protesting while inside the boot of the private car and we could hear him kicking the car’s rear door using his legs.” Said a witness.

 

Muhunga,52 and a mother of four said her family wants justice since police murdered their son without any justification.She said both Ngure and Wacira joined nursery school together,attended same primary school and sat their KCSE in March 2021 at Ufanisi Secondary School. ” They were like brothers.” She said.

 

She said the boys were hardworking and they had no criminal records. They were helping Ngure’s mother to supply internet to residents at a fee. The boys also reared dogs for sale.” She said.

 

Ngure’s grandfather Joachim Ngure,appealed to the Independent Police Oversight Authority and human rights organisations to intervene and ensure the families get justice.

 

He said,”The police officers must tell us why it was difficult to arrest unarmed motorcyclist whom they had stopped and complied as well as a pillion passenger who was carrying a television set. Who was complaining that a television set had been stolen?

 

Njeri said police have confiscated the motorcycle used by their fallen sons without any justification. “They have removed the official number plates and are using the motorcycle to run their private errands.” She said.

 

“Today(Wednesday, August 31) we went to Buruburu police station and presented ownership documents but the subcounty criminal investigations officer dismissed us saying investigations are ongoing.” Njeri told Missing Voices.