Twin brothers to appear in court tomorrow, charged with mayhem and assault and battery
BOSTON, July 31, 2023 – Two brothers are scheduled to appear in Central BMC tomorrow for a May machete attack near Boston Common that resulted in the victim’s ear being detached, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
ELISHA KIMANGA, 28, and ELIYA KIMANGA, 28, both of South Boston, were arraigned on July 11 and charged with mayhem and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (machete and shod foot). Judge Joseph Griffin set bail at $1,500 for each and ordered both to stay away from the victims and downtown Boston.
Both Elisha and Eliya Kimanga are due back in court August 1 for a probable cause hearing.
At about 8:57 a.m., on May 23, Boston police responded to a fight in progress at Temple Place and Tremont Street. Officers observed the first victim walking down Winter Street, covered in blood, with a deep laceration traveling from the top of his left ear and down the side of his neck, causing his ear to be detached. The victim was highly agitated and would not cooperate with officers or allow them to render any medical care.
A second assault victim assisted in calming the first victim until Boston EMS arrived. The second victim did not report any injuries or seek medical treatment.
Investigators obtained video surveillance showing the first suspect, later identified as Elisha Kimanga, and the second suspect, later identified as Eliya Kimanga, leaving the Downtown Crossing MBTA station at about 8:49 a.m. and walking toward Brewer Fountain in Boston Common. There they appear to engage in a verbal argument with several other men.
Elisha and Eliya Kimanga are seen confronting the first victim in the area of Tremont Street and Eliya Kimanga immediately punches him in the face. As the victim begins to defend himself, both Elisha and Eliya Kimanga attack him. Both repeatedly strike the victim and kick him while he is on the ground. The second victim runs from Boston Common toward the fight.
While standing in the middle of Tremont Street, Eliya Kimanga pulls a large object, believed to be a machete, from his jacket and swings it at the second victim, causing him to fall to the ground. Eliya Kimanga drops the machete and Elisha Kimanga picks it up and strikes the first victim numerous times. Eliya Kimanga then picks up the machete and continues to strike the first victim with it. Both Elisha and Eliya Kimanga are then seen running down Tremont Street, toward Washington Street, then entering the Downtown Crossing station.
Investigators sent out images of both suspects based off the videos obtained. On June 5 both brothers entered the District A-1 Boston Police station and identified themselves as the suspects in the incident from May 23.
“This brutal and bloody attack occurred in one of the busiest pedestrian areas of the city, on a typical weekday morning, in full view of people going to work or going shopping or heading out for coffee. It’s an act of violence against the victims and against all those who witnessed it. I commend the diligent police work involved to identify these assailants, which resulted in them turning themselves in,” Hayden said,
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications