The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) says it is probing the alleged murder of two men whose bodies were recovered from Thika River after reportedly being arrested.

Area chiefs are said to have arrested Asman Kamau, 20, and Nicholas Maithya aged 18 at Rubiru village in Gatanga, Murang’a County accusing them of being involved in illicit brewing of liquor along the river.

“In line with its mandate, IPOA took up the matter for investigations as it seeks to establish what exactly transpired and if the police were involved as alleged by the witness accounts,” Anne Makori, IPOA Chairperson, said.

According to Gatanga Deputy Sub-county Police Commander Simon Mulu, the two men drowned while fleeing from area assistant chief targeting illegal brewers in the area.

But area residents allege Kamau and Maithya were assaulted by the national government officers before being handcuffed and pushed into the swollen river to their deaths.

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They say one body was found with handcuffs and the other had handcuff marks and that the handcuffs later mysteriously disappeared after police officers recovered the bodies from the river even as police deny involvement in the deaths.

The bodies of the two deceased men are preserved at Thika Level 5 Hospital mortuary.