Family of convict sentenced for murdering lawyer Willie Kimani asks state to release their son, apologise to families of victims

By , K24 Digital
On Sun, 5 Feb, 2023 09:11 | 2 mins read
Willie Kimani ex-cop
Screengrab of Leliman's father during an interview. PHOTO/Courtesy

Parents of Fredrick Leliman, the ex-cop who was slapped with a death sentence over the murder of lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josphat Mwenda and their taxi driver Joseph Muiruri have spoken.

Speaking to Citizen Digital, the family led by Leliman's father, Stephen Leilman, 70, apologised to the victim's families for the pain and sorrow their son has caused them over the years.

The family was in disbelief and is yet to come to terms with the fact that their son whom they once saw as a disciplined child was capable of taking away lives.

Going back through memory lane, Stephen recounted how Leliman was disciplined as a child and considerate of their welfare.

He is now pleading with the court to release him since he was a man of integrity. Further, the distraught father decried that his son was the family's sole breadwinner and now they have no one to depend on.

Hakuwahi fanya kitu mbaya…hakuna mtu amewai kuja kuniambia kijana wangu amemkoses…hata nikiskia hii maneno nilikuwa nashtuka sana kwa maana singetarajia kama anaweza fanya kitu kama hiyo," he said.

"Mimi nasema aisulu kwa maana mimi sina nguvu, wacha niwachie Mungu, yeye pekee yake ndio anajua. Mimi naomba msamaha kwa Wakenya, nisaidie kwa huyu kijana aappeal hiyo kesi yake," he added.

On the other hand, his mother has pleaded with the government to review the sentence since he was an honest man.

Mtoto wangu alikuwa mkarimu, naomba mahakama imwachilie,” she told the publication.

The ex-cop was sentenced alongside his accomplices Stephen Cheburet (30 years in jail), Sylvia Wanjiku (24 years), and Peter Ngugi (20 years).

The officers were on July 22, 2022, found guilty of the murder of Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri.

One of the officers, Leonard Mwangi, was acquitted after the court found there was insufficient evidence linking him to the murder.

They were charged in 2016.

The victims were kidnapped after leaving Mavoko Law Courts on June 23, 2016. Their bodies were found in Ol Donyo Sabuk River days after they went missing.

While convicting them, the judge ruled the prosecution had proven that they acted with the common intention of harming the lawyer, his client, and their taxi driver.

While convicting Leliman, the judge said he had the motive to kill Mwenda after he made a report against him to Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA)

The Court noted that Leliman wanted to protect his job and that’s why he went for Mwenda.

According to the judge, the lawyer and the taxi driver were killed to cover up the murder of Mwenda.

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