Hundreds have held a demonstration in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi to protest what they called the extrajudicial killing of a prominent human rights lawyer. Protesters marched through the streets of Nairobi, holding placards demanding that Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery resign over the death of Willie Kimani, his client and their driver, which the protesters said was carried out at the hands of police.

Some protesters carried a mock coffin emblazoned with the words “Stop extrajudicial killings” while others wore T-shirts with the slogan “Stop police executions.” The bodies of Kimani, his client Josephat Mwendwa and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri were found last week. The three men disappeared after a court hearing on June 23.

Authorities said Kimani’s wrists were bound with rope, three of his fingers had been chopped off and his eyes appeared to have been gouged out when they found the bodies of the three men by a riverbank outside Nairobi on Friday. Kimani and Muiruri worked for an international rights group while Mwendwa had sued police in the court over an alleged shooting which led to his injury.

Activists say Kimani was defending Mwendwa against various charges raised against him, including possession of drugs, and other offences. Kenyan police says they will investigate any breach of law among their forces. Three officers have been arrested in connection with the deaths of the three men, the officials said on Saturday. Kenyans complain about police corruption and increasing police abuse with rights groups accusing sections of the police service of involvement in extrajudicial killings. Kimani had repeatedly criticized police abuse.

Presstv