WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, released the following statement Friday after the bodies of a client, employee and associate of the International Justice Mission were found murdered in Kenya. Mr. Josephat Mwenda and attorney Mr. Willie Kimani were last seen after a court appearance on Thursday, June 23rd when they were picked up by driver Mr. Joseph Muiruri. Mr. Kimani was representing Mr. Mwenda and working for IJM, an organization that has worked with the Kenyan government to investigate and prosecute cases of police abuse:
“I am very troubled to hear of the deaths of Willie Kimani, Josephat Mwenda, and Joseph Muiruri. My thoughts are with their families and the network of International Justice Mission employees and volunteers who do vital work in Kenya and around the world seeking justice and transparency.
“I urge the Kenyan government to spare no effort to thoroughly investigate, prosecute, and hold accountable those responsible for these heinous murders.
"Particularly due to the allegations of police abuse that Mr. Mwenda had brought forward, I call on the Kenyan government to give these murders their highest attention while also continuing to move forward with investigations into the corruption these brave men sought to expose.”
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