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A senior police officer has told the High Court that two witnesses claimed they heard the Kianjokoma brothers utter the words “tujiokoe” while being transported in a moving police vehicle.
Chief Inspector Peter Terer gave the testimony on Thursday during the murder trial of six police officers charged over the deaths of brothers Benson Ndwiga and Emmanuel Ndwiga in Embu in August 2021.
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Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Danstan Omari, Terer confirmed that several people were arrested that night for allegedly breaching COVID-19 curfew rules and were later charged at the Embu Law Courts.
Terer said he spoke to two of the arrested individuals after the incident. One of them told him he had been seated next to the deceased brothers inside the police Land Rover and heard them talking to each other, saying “tujiokoe,” which translates to “let us save ourselves.”
The officer told the court he understood the phrase to mean the brothers intended to jump from the moving vehicle. However, he admitted that he did not record formal statements from the two individuals.
The defence noted that the two witnesses were crucial in clarifying the circumstances surrounding the brothers’ deaths. Terer also acknowledged that, according to his account, the witnesses were inside the vehicle while it was still in motion.
When questioned on whether it was possible for someone to jump from the police Land Rover, Terer said it depended on the vehicle’s design but conceded that it was possible.
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He further testified that about 10 detainees were being transported at the time, accompanied by six police officers. Three officers, including the driver, were seated in the front cabin, while the remaining officers were positioned at the rear to prevent escape.
Terer told the court that only eight of the arrested individuals were later booked at the police station, while two were never brought in. He added that the incident occurred at night during rainy conditions, making it difficult for officers to notice if anyone jumped from the vehicle.
The court heard that photographs presented as evidence showed the bodies of the two brothers lying on the left side of the tarmac road. The police vehicle was said to have been travelling from Manyatta towards Mbuvori.
Terer said he was informed of the deaths at around 12.45am by Corporal Benson Mbuthia, the duty officer on the night in question. He instructed Mbuthia to secure the scene until the Officer Commanding Station arrived and also alerted the OCS to proceed to the location.
Upon arriving at the scene, Terer said he found the bodies of the brothers lying on the road in pools of blood. The six officers involved were arrested and detained as investigations began.
In earlier proceedings, a pathologist testified that the injuries sustained by the brothers were inconsistent with claims that they fell from a moving vehicle. The pathologist said both Benson and Emmanuel Ndwiga died from severe head injuries caused by blunt force trauma.
The hearing continues.
