A High Court in Nyandarua has sentenced former police officer William Muriuki Nyaga to 30 years in prison after finding him guilty of killing an unarmed civilian in a case that highlighted concerns over police conduct and the abuse of authority.
The court established that the incident occurred on May 24, 2020, at Equator Springs Hotel in the Gwa Kungu area.Nyaga was accused of attacking Stephen Githinji Ndiuni during the course of the night following a disturbance at the premises.
Earlier, a commotion at the hotel had been controlled, and most patrons had left.
However, Nyaga remained behind and continued drinking.
Later, during a curfew enforcement operation, Githinji was arrested.
Court proceedings revealed that the officer assaulted him severely, causing him to lose consciousness.
He then dragged the victim to the entrance of the club.The court further heard that Githinji was left outside the premises through the night and was discovered dead the following morning.
In delivering the judgement, the presiding judge stated that Nyaga had violated the trust placed in him as a law enforcement officer.
The court emphasised that police officers are mandated to protect life and not destroy it.
The judge also described the act of abandoning the injured man outside overnight as cruel and showing complete disregard for human dignity.
Initially, Nyaga faced a murder charge alongside two civilians.
However, the court later acquitted the two civilians after finding no evidence linking them to the fatal assault.The charge against Nyaga was reduced to manslaughter after prosecutors were unable to prove intent to kill.
Investigations into the case were conducted by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, while the victim’s family received legal support from the International Justice Mission Kenya.
The sentencing has sparked renewed public debate on police accountability in Kenya, with human rights organisations calling for stronger action against officers who misuse their authority.