A 73 year old man has sued the government for illegal detention and torture over the killing of Pio-Gama Pinto in the 1960s.

Kisilu Mutua was arrested on February 24, 1965 following Pio Gama Pinto’s death and detained for 36 years. He freed on pardon in 2001 by retired President, Daniel Arap Moi following a campaign by his family, lawyer and pressure groups.

According to Kisilu, Police had pounced on him on the fateful day at around 11pm as he enjoyed drinks at a bar in Nairobi with his friends. He was then taken to Eastleigh Police Station where he was tortured and later to Pangani Police Station where police forced him to sign a confession.

On July 5, 1965 Kisilu was charged with murder and was initially given a death sentence but this was later commuted to life imprisonment.

Pio Gama Pinto (March 31, 1927 – February 25, 1965) was a Kenyan journalist, politician and freedom fighter.

He was assassinated on February 25, 1965; after being shot at very close range on his driveway while waiting for the gate to open.

Pinto became the first Kenyan politician to be assassinated after Independence.

MATIBA SUES GOVERNMENT FOR ILLEGAL DETENTION

Last year, former presidential candidate Kenneth Stanley Njindo Matiba moved to court to have the government compelled to pay him Sh9.1 million as damages, for his detention at the height of the clamour for multi-party democracy.

Mr Matiba was arrested in 1990 together with Charles Rubia and held without trial at the Kamiti Maximum Security Prison. Matiba suffered a stroke, which affected half his body and incapacitated him for some time. He was admitted to hospital on June 4 1991.