The high-profile murder case of Rex Masai, the young protester fatally shot during the 2024 anti-Finance Bill demonstrations, took a dramatic turn after a key witness linked Police Constable Isaiah Murangiri to the scene of the crime, directly contradicting the officer’s earlier denials.
Testifying before the court on Tuesday, July 29, a photojournalist offered compelling evidence that placed Murangiri at the heart of the protests in Nairobi’s Central Business District, where Masai was shot. The journalist, whose identity remains protected for safety reasons, told the court that he had tracked the plain-clothed officer for two consecutive days during the protests, alarmed by what he described as the officer’s consistent use of “excessive force and violence.”
The witness presented a series of photographs showing Murangiri in civilian clothes, notably in a blue shirt and grey trousers, engaging with protesters, firing tear gas canisters, and arresting journalists and demonstrators. Notably, the officer in the images wore a bracelet inscribed with “Izoo,” a well-known nickname derived from Murangiri’s full name, Isaiah.
This visual evidence undermines Murangiri’s sworn testimony on July 16, during which he firmly denied being present at the protests. Even when shown CCTV footage and images placing a man resembling him at the scene, Murangiri insisted, “No, Your Honour, that is not me.”
However, prosecutors also presented cell tower data that traced Murangiri’s phone to the vicinity of Uhuru Highway, the same location where Rex Masai was shot at around 7 p.m. Masai succumbed to a thigh wound shortly after being rushed to a medical facility, with post-mortem findings confirming that he died of excessive bleeding.
The fresh evidence has intensified public scrutiny and renewed calls for accountability in the handling of the protests. With the trial continuing, all eyes remain on the unfolding courtroom drama that could set a precedent for police accountability in Kenya’s protest-related killings.
