Four policemen belonging to the special service unit that was recently disbanded by President Ruto for allegedly carrying out extrajudicial killings and disappearances of suspects over several years are set to go on trial on Monday, October 24, in Nairobi.
The four DCI officers identified as Peter Gathuku, Francis Ndonye, John Kamau, and Joseph Mbugua are accused of being behind a spate of murders, abductions, and torture across the country.
Moreover, two Indian nationals who went missing in July and remains discovered last week in a forest are allegedly their latest victims.
In addition, members of the now disbanded elite squad face multiple charges including murder, abuse of office and conspiracy to commit felonies. They are to be arraigned in Ruaraka court
Furthermore, President William Ruto disbanded the special service unit after receiving a police report on the disappearance of the two Indian nationals.
The Indian nationals identified as Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan and Mohamed Zaid Sami Kidwai were in Kenya to help the electoral campaign of Mr Ruto.
Also Read: Ruto Orders Probe on Disbanded Special DCI Unit
However, they went missing together with their local driver Nicodemus Mwania soon after being picked up by police in Nairobi.
Nonetheless, Human Rights groups report that their independent investigations have linked the special service unit and other police units to the death of more than 600 people over the past four years.
BBC reports that some of the victim’s bodies were later recovered in rivers in western and northern Kenya.
Nevertheless, a coalition of international and local NGOs is now urging the government to prosecute the rogue officers and compensate the victims of police brutality.