Lawyer Willie Kimani was representing a motorcycle taxi operator who was suing Leliman for shooting him at a traffic roadblock. Leliman later started threatening and intimidating the man.
The bodies of Kimani, his client Josephat Mwendwa and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri were discovered in the Ol-Donyo Sabuk River, in the east of the country, days after they were reported missing.
Kenya police officers in dock from left to right sentenced Peter Ngugi Kamau, 20 years, Sylvia Wanjiku Wanjohi, 24 years, Stephen Cheburet Morogo, 30 years and Fredrick Leliman, life sentence at Kenya's Milimani court on Feb. 3, 2023. (AP photo)
Evidence produced in court showed that the three were abducted after a court session on June 22, 2016, were briefly locked up and then were taken out and murdered in an open field. Their bodies were discovered on July 1.
Leliman was given a death sentence, while former officers Stephen Cheburet and Sylvia Wanjiku received sentences of 30 and 24 years, respectively, and police informer Peter Ngugi was jailed for 20 years. A fourth former police officer, Leonard Mwangi, was acquitted.
Those sentenced to death in Kenyan courts serve a life sentence. Kenya’s last execution was in 1987.
The four have 14 days to file an appeal.
The murders triggered a series of protests by lawyers and human rights defenders because Kenyan police have in the past been accused of brutality and extrajudicial killings but very few officers have been convicted.