Police Cannot Identify Gun Used to Kill Anti-Finance Bill Protester Rex Masai, Court Told

The inquest into the killing of protester Rex Masai heard on Thursday that investigators were unable to identify the firearm used to fatally shoot the 24-year-old during the June 2024 anti-Finance Bill demonstrations in Nairobi.

Principal Investigating Officer Justin Nyatete told the court that detectives faced major obstacles during the investigation, including alleged non-cooperation from police officers involved in the protests.

Nyatete, who has served in the police service for 22 years, said investigations established that Masai was the only person injured near the Absa Bank area in Nairobi’s Central Business District, where the fatal shooting occurred.

The court heard that detectives reviewed witness statements, photographs, and video footage from the demonstrations, including material supplied by a protected journalist witness.

According to Nyatete, some footage showed an undercover officer identified as Isaiah Murangiri operating alongside uniformed police officers while armed with a police radio and baton.

Investigators established that Murangiri had been issued with a tear gas launcher and was also carrying a small firearm during the protests.

However, ballistic analysis failed to connect his weapon or firearms issued to other officers under investigation to the bullet that killed Masai.

“The ballistic report showed the cartridge recovered had been fired from a revolver and not from the pistols issued to the officers under investigation,” Nyatete told the court.

He further revealed that investigators were unable to recover the bullet because it exited Masai’s body, making it difficult to conclusively identify the weapon used.

“We could not link the pistols to the bullet. We were also unable to recover the firearm that discharged the fatal shot,” he testified.

The court also heard that detectives encountered inconsistencies in statements given by officers.

Murangiri reportedly told investigators he was not on duty on June 18 but later indicated he had reported for duty on June 20 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.

Nyatete said detectives also attempted to identify individuals seen chasing protesters during the demonstrations, but officers denied responsibility and claimed the people involved were criminals and not police officers.

“Our investigations could not verify who the people chasing demonstrators were,” Nyatete said.

“We did what we could, but we encountered non-cooperation from the police.”

The inquest continues as the court considers whether additional officers should be summoned to testify over the circumstances surrounding Masai’s death.