Two police officers, Constable Benson Kamau and Corporal Isaiah Muragiri, have appeared in court regarding the death of Rex Kanyike Masai, who was fatally shot during anti-Finance Bill demonstrations in Nairobi in June 2024. Both officers deny being present at the scene of the shooting.
Constable Kamau testified that on June 20, he was assigned to undercover intelligence duties near Museum Hill and did not enter the Central Business District (CBD) that week.
He stated, “I never went to the CBD the entire week, nor did I fire any shots with my gun.”
Corporal Muragiri reported being stationed at the KICC entrance with a tear gas launcher and claimed he did not engage with protesters or discharge his weapon.
He added, “I did not interact with any protestors… I never fired even a single tear gas canister that day because where I was there were no demonstrators.”
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has filed a lawsuit alleging that Corporal Muragiri was responsible for Masai’s death.
The LSK is also seeking to prohibit the deployment of plainclothes officers during protests, arguing that such practices hinder accountability.
Masai’s father, Crispine Odawa, testified that he learned of his son’s shooting from his wife and found Masai’s body at Bliss Hospital with a bullet wound to the left thigh.
He recounted that a police officer from Central Police Station prevented the family from taking the body, which was later moved to City Mortuary.
The case continues as the court examines the circumstances surrounding Masai’s death and the involvement of the accused officers.
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