The investigation into the killing of Rex Masai during the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests has taken a dramatic turn, with new testimony contradicting the claims made by the main suspect, Police Constable Isaiah Murangiri.
On Tuesday, July 29, a photojournalist took the witness stand and told the court that Murangiri was indeed present at the scene of the protests where Rex Masai was shot.
This directly challenges the officer’s earlier claims that he was off-duty and nowhere near the protest area when the incident occurred.
According to the witness, he had observed and followed Murangiri for two full days during the protests. He accused the officer of using unnecessary force, claiming Murangiri acted violently toward demonstrators and even members of the press.
This behavior, he said, is what prompted him to closely monitor and document the officer’s actions.
The journalist also submitted photographic evidence showing Murangiri, dressed in plain clothes, firing tear gas, arresting protesters and journalists, and wearing a distinctive bracelet labeled “Izoo” — a shortened form of his first name, Isaiah.
These images, according to the witness, prove the officer’s presence at the protests and directly contradict his alibi.
Earlier in court proceedings held on Wednesday, July 16, Constable Murangiri had strongly denied being involved in the protests or the fatal shooting.
He specifically rejected CCTV footage and other photographic evidence presented by the prosecution, which appeared to show him in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) and along Uhuru Highway during the demonstrations.
When questioned about his identity in the footage — showing a man in a blue shirt and grey trousers carrying a walkie-talkie — Murangiri replied firmly, “No, Your Honour, that is not me.”
Despite cell tower data placing his phone in the area where the shooting happened, Murangiri maintained that he was not at the location during the time Rex Masai was shot.
Rex Masai was fatally injured after being shot at around 7 p.m. during a tense standoff between protesters and police. The shooting, captured on video, showed a plain-clothed officer, believed to be Murangiri, opening fire on the crowd as security forces tried to disperse demonstrators.
Eyewitnesses who rushed Rex to a nearby medical facility in the city centre said he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Doctors at the facility conducted an initial examination and reported that he had been shot in the thigh. A later post-mortem confirmed that he had died from severe bleeding caused by the gunshot wound.
The latest developments in the case have raised fresh questions about police accountability, the handling of protest responses, and the reliability of officers’ statements under oath.
With new witness evidence now in the spotlight, the case continues to draw national attention, as Kenyans demand justice for Rex Masai and transparency in police conduct.
Join Gen Z New WhatsApp Channel To Stay Updated On time https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
