The Law Society of Kenya has sounded the alarm over the brutal Tom Imbukwa killing, demanding that investigators move fast before another lawyer’s murder goes unpunished. LSK President Charles Kanjama issued a sharp warning on April 22, saying justice for the slain advocate is non-negotiable.
The killing follows the September 2025 murder of Nairobi lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu, raising a frightening question: Is Kenya’s legal fraternity being systematically targeted, and is anyone paying attention?
The Tom Imbukwa Killing Exposes a Dangerous Pattern of Violence Against Kenyan Lawyers
The Law Society of Kenya is demanding urgent investigations into the torture and brutal murder of advocate Tom Ouya Imbukwa by unknown persons. LSK President Charles Kanjama warned that justice is non-negotiable and called on the DCI and police to act swiftly.
The killing follows the September 2025 murder of lawyer Mathew Mbobu, raising serious fears about targeted violence against Kenya’s legal fraternity.
How Tom Imbukwa Died and Why the LSK Is Demanding Answers
Unknown persons allegedly assaulted, tortured, and murdered advocate Tom Ouya Imbukwa before his body was discovered. The Law Society of Kenya received news of his death with profound shock, and LSK President Charles Kanjama wasted no time calling the circumstances surrounding the killing deeply alarming.
Kanjama extended condolences to Imbukwa’s family, friends, and colleagues. He acknowledged that the brutal nature of the killing had left members of the bar across the country deeply shaken. But the LSK president went further than expressing grief—he demanded action.
“Our colleague was assaulted, tortured, and murdered by unknown persons,” Kanjama said. “The circumstances surrounding Tom’s death demand our unequivocal condemnation and immediate action.”
The fact that Imbukwa endured severe assault and torture before his death makes this case particularly disturbing. This was not a random act of opportunistic violence. The manner of his killing suggests deliberate, premeditated brutality directed at a member of the legal profession.
LSK Calls on DCI and Police to Launch Swift and Credible Investigations
Kanjama formally called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the National Police Service to immediately launch swift, thorough, and credible investigations into the Tom Imbukwa killing. He urged the public to come forward with any information they might hold about the incident.
“We appeal to any member of the public with information regarding this incident to share it urgently with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations or directly with the Law Society of Kenya,” Kanjama said, adding that the anonymity and safety of informants would be fully protected.
The LSK president also issued a pointed warning about accountability. He stated clearly that if any state actors played a role in the torture and killing of Imbukwa, those individuals must face justice. He emphasized that no perpetrator should receive protection regardless of their rank, status, or affiliation.
This is a critical message. In a country where enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings have long dogged the security forces, the involvement of state agents — even as a possibility — cannot be dismissed or quietly buried.
The LSK also pledged to stand with Imbukwa’s family throughout the process, offering legal support during investigations and any court proceedings that follow. “Justice for Tom Ouya Imbukwa is not negotiable,” Kanjama said firmly.
The Tom Imbukwa Killing Is the Second Lawyer Murder in Less Than a Year
The Tom Imbukwa killing did not happen in isolation. Less than a year ago, gunmen shot and killed Nairobi lawyer Mathew Kyalo Mbobu in what investigators described as a suspected targeted attack along Magadi Road in September 2025.
A pathology report by Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor later confirmed that Mbobu died from excessive bleeding and severe injuries after being shot eight times. Pathologists recovered two bullets from his body, while police flagged missing spent cartridges from his vehicle — details that point to a calculated, professional execution.
That killing shocked the legal community. Now, with Imbukwa’s death following in such quick succession, the pattern is impossible to ignore. Two lawyers have been killed in targeted attacks within the space of a single year. The methods differ—one was shot, the other tortured—but the message being sent to Kenya’s legal profession is unmistakably similar.
Kanjama acknowledged this growing threat directly, warning that lawyers cannot continue to be targeted, tortured, and killed. His words carry weight because they reflect a legal fraternity that is no longer merely grieving — it is frightened and demanding answers.
Kenya’s legal practitioners occupy a frontline position in the country’s justice system. They defend the accused, challenge the powerful, and hold the state to account. When lawyers become targets, the entire architecture of justice comes under threat.
