Murang’a village expects growth as new police station tackles crime

Autopsy Reveals Nine Gunshot Wounds in Murang’a Police Shooting, Sparks IPOA Probe
A post-mortem examination conducted on a man fatally shot by police in Murang’a has revealed he sustained nine gunshot wounds, sharply contradicting the official police account and intensifying calls for accountability. The autopsy on Michael Njogu, performed by Chief Government Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor, identified five entry wounds, including one to the chest that was deemed fatal, and four exit wounds. The findings have cast a dark shadow over the police narrative of a confrontation with a criminal gang, prompting an immediate investigation by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
The incident occurred on June 18, when officers from the Murang’a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) shot and killed two men, Michael Njogu, also known as Bush, and James Mwangi. Police initially reported that the two were dangerous gang members neutralized during a shootout. However, the graphic details of the autopsy tell a different story. The location of the wounds—to the chest, thigh, and legs—has led to serious questions from the victims’ families and human rights observers. The families have publicly alleged that the two men were not killed in a fiery exchange, but were instead executed after being arrested from their homes and taken to a nearby coffee plantation.
The release of the post-mortem results has sparked outrage and grief within the Murang’a community. Human rights organizations have pointed to this case as a grim example of a broader pattern of alleged extrajudicial killings by police forces in Kenya. When a post-mortem reveals nine gunshot wounds, it ceases to be a simple ‘shootout’ narrative and demands a rigorous, transparent investigation, stated a representative from a local civil society group. The family of Michael Njogu is now demanding justice, stating that the forensic evidence validates their long-held claims of an unlawful execution.
The future of the case now rests heavily on the ongoing IPOA investigation. The authority has confirmed it is treating the matter with urgency, with the post-mortem report serving as a central piece of evidence. The outcome will be a critical test for police accountability in Kenya, a nation where such incidents often fade from public view without conclusion. As the probe continues, all eyes are on the IPOA to determine whether the use of lethal force was justified or if this tragic event marks another chapter in the country’s struggle against impunity within its security forces.