Dennis Lusava’s family has finally received justice after the Eldoret High Court sentenced two police officers to 35 years in prison each for his brutal murder while in custody.
Lusava was killed in October 2020 at Mbururu Police Post in Kakamega County following an altercation with the officers over failure to wear a face mask, then a mandatory COVID-19 regulation.
According to court proceedings, Lusava initially evaded arrest with the help of bystanders. However, the officers later lured him back to the station, where events took a deadly turn.
Once in custody, Lusava was handcuffed and subjected to a vicious assault. Witnesses revealed he was kicked, punched, and whipped using electric cables by the two constables.
Despite the extent of his injuries, Lusava was denied medical attention. He succumbed to his wounds in the police cell, the court was told.
The officers then attempted to cover up the crime. They secretly removed Lusava’s body from the station and dumped it in River Nzoia to destroy evidence of torture.
Justice Reuben Nyakundi, delivering the verdict on July 29, condemned the officers’ conduct as a gross abuse of power, calling it deliberate, cruel, and executed without remorse.
He noted that the murder was premeditated, stating there was clear transactional evidence linking the officers in a coordinated conspiracy to commit the crime.
The prosecution built a watertight case, relying on 21 witnesses and 27 exhibits, including forensic reports and testimony from local residents who saw the victim being taken.
The court heard that the officers made no effort to report the incident or account for Lusava’s disappearance, further underlining their intention to conceal the killing.
Justice Nyakundi described their conduct as guided by malice aforethought and stressed the need for accountability in law enforcement, particularly in custodial settings.
Human rights defenders hailed the ruling as a rare but important win against police brutality, a concern that continues to plague Kenya’s justice system.
Lusava’s family, emotional outside court, said they were relieved that justice had finally caught up with those who took their son’s life.
By Kenyans