Thirteen Kenyan officers plead not guilty to the murder of two Indians and their driver in a politically charged case
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Thirteen Kenyan security officers, including a national intelligence officer and a wildlife warden, have pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering two Indian men and their Kenyan driver in 2022. The case, which is politically sensitive, was heard on Thursday, according to their lawyer Danstan Omari, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
The Indian nationals were reportedly linked to Kenyan President William Ruto’s election campaign
The victims were identified as Mohamed Zaid Sami Kidwai and Zulfiqar Ahmed Khan, along with their driver Nicodemus Mwania Mwange. Media reports claim the two Indians were involved in Kenyan President William Ruto’s successful 2022 election campaign.
The court in Kiambu, near Nairobi, will decide on the bail application for the suspects on March 20, according to Kenya’s state prosecution service
They were abducted and killed in July 2022, weeks before the general election, with their bodies allegedly dumped in a forest. The accused officers belonged to a special police unit implicated in extrajudicial killings, which Ruto disbanded three months after the incident.
Court Proceedings and Defense Claims
The officers, who have been in custody for two and a half years, were formally charged with murder on Thursday. All defendants pleaded not guilty.
Defense lawyer Danstan Omari dismissed the charges as politically motivated, stating, “It is a political case. Our clients are innocent.”
The BBC previously reported that Kidwai’s wife described his visit to Kenya as purely for tourism.
Upcoming Bail Ruling
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