The Kenya Human Rights Commission and Ndula Resource Center have demanded for justice and sanctions following the killing of 31-year-old vegetable vendor Michael Muiruri, allegedly by a G4S guard contracted by Del Monte Kenya.

The two groups say the incident is part of an entrenched pattern of violence against communities living near multinational plantations.

The fatal incident happened between 8 am and 9 am on August 8, 2025, in Gatwekera, Murang’a. Muiruri was riding as a passenger on a motorcycle driven by his friend, 24-year-old Brian Kuria, when the guard allegedly rammed into them, suspecting him of stealing pineapples.

Muiruri was not a thief, but a vegetable trader on his way home from Thika’s Makongeni market after selling his produce.

Kuria took him to a nearby clinic for first aid before he was referred to Thika Level 5 Hospital, where his family later found him unresponsive.

At around 1 pm, doctors confirmed he had died. A postmortem carried out on August 11, 2025, showed he died from multiple injuries caused by a motor vehicle accident.

“The G4S guard was driving a Toyota Hilux, registration KBZ 441E, which police later impounded alongside Kuria’s motorcycle. Both bore visible damage consistent with the reported collision,” the groups stated.

When Muiruri’s family and Kuria went to Ngati Police Station to report the case, the same guard allegedly followed them, nearly knocking them down again. The matter is recorded under OB number 12/08/08/2025.

KHRC and Ndula Resource Center say the killing is not an isolated case but fits a “repeated pattern of intimidation, harassment, and lethal force” used by guards protecting plantations.

They referred to the December 2023 deaths of four men near Del Monte’s Thika plantation, where witnesses claimed guards beat them, threw them into the Chania River, and left them to die.

A Human Rights Impact Assessment released in January 2024 documented killings, assaults, and intimidation at the Thika plantation.

Del Monte announced in March 2024 that it had dismissed 214 in-house guards and handed over security to G4S, but according to the two groups, “community reports make it clear that the violence has not stopped.”

G4S itself has faced previous accusations, including documented cases of torture and rape in Kwale during a land dispute involving Bamburi Portland Cement Ltd.

The organisations are demanding the arrest and prosecution of the G4S guard responsible, with full public disclosure of investigation findings.

They also want full compensation for Muiruri’s family and reparations for affected communities, legal accountability for Del Monte and G4S with strict licensing conditions or suspension for violations, suspension of Del Monte’s SA8000 and ISO9002 certifications and contracts with international buyers until it meets human rights obligations, and the reopening and fast-tracking of unresolved cases involving deaths, torture, and sexual violence linked to Del Monte’s security, including the December 2023 killings.

“This killing is a grim reminder of the dangers faced by communities living next to corporate plantations,” the statement read. “Our demands are clear , justice for Muiruri’s family, accountability for those responsible, and systemic reforms to prevent further loss of life.