Police in Tharaka Nithi County are set to cost two brothers accused of beating their step-nephew, Edwin Murithi, 17, to dying in Mariene village in Tharaka Constituency on the evening of December 31, 2023.
Samuel Muriuki, a second-year pupil at Kirinyaga College, and Kelvin Njeru, a graduate of Kenya Medical Coaching School, have been introduced earlier than the Marimanti Justice of the Peace’s Courtroom on Monday after being discovered mentally match to face homicide expenses.
They’re now awaiting arraignment on the Chuka Excessive Courtroom.
A autopsy report seen by the Nation reveals that Murithi, an orphan who was finding out at Chuka Boys’ Excessive College on Fairness Group’s Wings to Fly scholarship, died of inner bleeding attributable to accidents to a number of inner organs together with the liver and pancreas.
Muriuki was arrested final Saturday in Naivasha, the place he was reportedly hiding, whereas Njeru was arrested on the evening of January 2 at their house in Mariene, the place he had simply returned after the incident.
The boy was discovered by his grandmother, Grace Kaguna, 70, mendacity on the grass underneath a mango tree a couple of metres from his and the accused’s home at round 10am on January 1.
Murithi died minutes later whereas the relations have been on the lookout for a automobile to take him to hospital. His physique was later taken to the mortuary at Marimanti Degree 4 Hospital by officers from Tunyai Police Station.
In accordance with relations, earlier than he died, Murithi mentioned his step-uncles accused him of stealing a bag and gave him a heinous beating. That is the account witnesses gave to the police.
On December 31 final yr, Murithi was vigorous as he waited for the New Yr household get together organised by his grandmother and different family members who had gathered at their house to welcome the New Yr collectively.
At round 6pm, he reportedly walked about two kilometres to the Sahara Metropolis Resort on the Ena-Kathwana-Meru freeway to observe soccer along with his enthusiastic village associates.
From left: Grace Laguna and Lucy Muthoni, a grandmother and aunt respectively of Edwin Murithi of Mariene village in Tharaka Constituency, who was allegedly crushed to dying by his two step-uncles on December 31, 2023. The accused are in police custody and will probably be charged with homicide.
Photograph credit score: Alex Njeru | Nation Media Group
As his eyes have been glued to the display screen in pleasure, he was allegedly referred to as by his uncles and after leaving the corridor, he was compelled to board a bike, the place he was wedged between the 2 on the pillion seat, and rushed house at round 10pm.
He was reportedly taken to Muriuki’s home, the place his arms and legs have been tied and his uncles beat and kicked him as he lay helpless on the bottom. Additionally they reportedly tried to strangle him.
To stop the neighbours from listening to his cries, the 2 allegedly coated his mouth with items of fabric and after a number of hours of beating he misplaced consciousness. When he regained consciousness, he discovered himself alone in the home along with his arms nonetheless tied.
The boy reportedly managed to untie himself and, missing the power to face, rolled out of the home on his abdomen, however was unable to get previous the mango tree the place he was discovered.
“I discovered him mendacity on the bottom a couple of metres from the home he was reportedly tortured and although in nice ache and with a weak voice, he narrated to us what had occurred to him,” Kaguna advised the Nation on Wednesday as they ready to bury Murithi on Thursday.
She mentioned that the bag the deceased was accused of stealing was later discovered to have been taken by Muriuki’s mom.
Kaguna claimed that the household had been having variations for a number of years and the accused attackers weren’t blissful after their step-nephew was awarded the Wings to Fly scholarship.
“The deceased scored 354 marks within the Kenya Certificates of Main Schooling examination and I had plenty of hope in his schooling as a result of he was doing very nicely in secondary faculty,” mentioned the grandmother who raised the boy after his mom died when he was one and a half years outdated.
She added that the household had additionally had land disputes through the years and that they have been the one ones within the village who had but to course of title deeds due to the disagreements over easy methods to share the ancestral land.
Kaguna mentioned she additionally fears for her life as she was now left alone in the home along with her virtually 100-year-old mom, who’s deaf.
Residents have condemned the heinous act and urged the police to conduct a radical investigation to make sure that the case is watertight and the perpetrators are delivered to justice.
