Missing lawyer Willie Kimani, taxi driver found dead in Ol-Donyo Sabuk

The bodies of slain lawyer Willie Kimani (pictured), his taxi driver and the advocate's client were retrieved from a river in Machakos County on July 1, 2016. A High Court judge has ordered autopsies as the Law Society of Kenya has demanded the resignation of Police Inspector-General Joseph Boinnet and others over the killings. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • At City Mortuary, the superintendent in charge said two bodies were brought in by police at 8.15am from Ol-Donyo Sabuk.
  • Some of the mortuary attendants said the bodies were found with their hands tied behind their backs.

Bodies identified as those of missing lawyer Willie Kimani and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri were on Friday found in a river in Ol-Donyo Sabuk, Machakos County.

The two bodies have been transferred to City Mortuary in Nairobi.

A third body, thought to be that of Mr Kimani’s client Josphat Mwenda, slipped back into the river.

Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss Ndegwa Muhoro said efforts to retrieve the missing body are under way.

A Google map shows the general area between a bridge and Fourteen Falls in Ol-Donyo Sabuk where the bodies of missing lawyer Willie Kimani and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri were found on July 1, 2016. PHOTO | GOOGLE MAPS

At City Mortuary, the superintendent in charge said two bodies were brought in by police at 8.15am from Ol-Donyo Sabuk.

Some of the mortuary attendants said the bodies were found with their hands tied behind their backs.

The records at the morgue show that the cause of their deaths was drowning.

Law Society of Kenya advocate Dan Kinuthia said the two were severely beaten and strangled. Their bodies are swollen and in bad shape, he said.

He said he identified the lawyer, "because he was my friend. He was a tiny guy but his body is too swollen ... likely they killed him a long time ago," he said outside the mortuary.

The second body, Mr Kinuthia said, was beaten up, had an ear missing and the hands were tied with a sisal rope.

Law Society of Kenya advocate Dan Kinuthia at City Mortuary in Nairobi on July 1, 2016. Two bodies identified as those of missing lawyer Willie Kimani and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri were on Friday found in a river in Ol-Donyo Sabuk, Machakos County. PHOTO | EUNICE KILONZO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

COURT HEARING

Earlier on Friday, a court had given Police Inspector-General Joseph Boinnet and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations up to 2pm to issue an interim report on the status of investigations over the disappearance of the three people.

The three were suspected to have been abducted by Administration Police (AP) officers on June 23.

The court heard that the missing were last seen entering the Syokimau AP camp in Machakos County before they disappeared.

During the hearing, lawyers wanted the government to be compelled to disclose their whereabouts.

They told the trial court that it is the responsibility of the State and representative agencies to ensure the safety of its citizens.

(Additional reporting by Vincent Agoya; editing by Basillioh Mutahi)