Kenyan police officer charged afresh over post-election-violence killing
Former police constable Edward Kirui at a Nairobi court on October 27, 2014 when he was charged afresh with the murder of Ismael Chacha in Kondele estate, Kisumu on January 16 2008 . PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- In 2010, Kirui was acquitted for lack of evidence linking him to the shooting of two protesters, Chacha and William Onyango but the Attorney-General appealed against the ruling.
- Justice Ochieng’ had ruled that the bullets found in the victims’ bodies did not match the gun used by the officer.
A police officer who had been acquitted of killing two people during the 2008 post-election-violence in Kisumu has been charged afresh with murder.
On Monday, Mr Edward Kirui was charged with the murder of Mr Ismael Chacha in Kondele Market on January 16, 2008.
In 2010, Mr Kirui was acquitted for lack of evidence linking him to the shooting of two protesters, Mr Chacha and Mr William Onyango, but the Attorney-General appealed against the ruling.
According to the then AG Amos Wako, trial judge Justice Fred Ochieng’ did not expressly state on which of the two counts of murder he acquitted Kirui.
The Court of Appeal ruled that the officer should be charged afresh with the murder of Mr Chacha as the trial judge had referred to only Mr Onyango when delivering his judgment.
Justice Ochieng’ had ruled that the bullets found in the victims’ bodies did not match the gun used by the officer.
