2 police officers charged over Kwekwe Mwandaza killing

Two police officers who were charged for killing of a 14-year-old schoolgirl, Kwekwe Mwandaza, have been found guilty over the August 2014 wrongful death case.

Justice Martin Muya has found former Kinango DCIO Veronical Gitahi and Constable Issa Mzee guilty of manslaughter over the shooting dead of Kwekwe at Mwawewu Village in Kinango, Kwale County.

During trial, the two officers who are alleged to have jointly murdered the schoolgirl had maintained they had acted in self-defense when they came under attack after storming a house in Kinango where Mwandaza was asleep.

The girl was shot dead at 2am on August 21, 2014, during an incident in which eight police officers stormed her family’s home at Mwawewu Village.

The police had raided the home with the aim of arresting her uncle, George Zani.

Police initially claimed Kwekwe attacked officers with a machete wounding an officer and destroying a gun.

The court trying Ms. Gitau and Mr. Mzee convened at the alleged spot where the murder was committed. Two minors, said to have been present at the time of the killing, testified that the deceased had pleaded incessantly for her life – a plea that they say fell on deaf ears.

“Kwekwe asked the police who they were looking for and informed them that his uncle wasn’t home” said a little boy utterly overwhelmed by emotions.

We heard a bang on the door that awakened us, and it is Kwekwe who moved closer to the door,” continued the minor.
Ms Gitahi and Mr Mzee, accompanied both the prosecution and defence sides to the remote village.
High Court Judge Martin Muya gave audience to the two sides as they publicly cross-examined the minors.

The court will sentence the two on Friday.