Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr has weighed in on the death sentence handed down to former police officer Fredrick Leliman on Friday.
Leliman, the mastermind behind the murders of lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josphat Mwenda, and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri, was sentenced to death.
Despite the fact that the Supreme Court declared capital punishment unconstitutional in 2017, Leliman was sentenced to death.
Stephen Cheburet, the second accused, was sentenced to 30 years in prison, Sylvia Wanjiku to 24 years, and police informant Peter Ngugi to 20 years.
While claiming that Leliman deserved a harsher penalty, Mutula Jnr recalled how lawyers protested for justice following Kimani’s death.
“When our colleague Willie Kimani was brutally murdered for representing a client, we went to the street,” he said.
“We pleaded with Cliff O to stand with the legal fraternity. This officer deserves a longer prison term. Rest in peace Willie Kimani,” added Kilonzo.
Mutula Jnr’s comments follow the announcement by criminal lawyer Cliff Ombeta, who represented Leliman and Stephen Cheburet Morogo in the case, that he will appeal the sentence.
“We as the defense, it is a judgment that has been disappointing. It is a judgment that was based on evidence that was non-existent,” he said while addressing the media at Milimani law courts on Friday.
Ombeta further said he believed that the court had imported evidence so that it could be able to carry out a conviction.
