Two police officers deny involvement in Rex Masai’s killing.

Benson Kamau and Isaiah Muragiri, police officers under investigation for the fatal shooting of Rex Masai during the June anti-Finance Bill protests in Nairobi, have denied being present at the scene of the incident.

Masai succumbed to excessive bleeding after being shot in the thigh during the demonstrations.

Constable Kamau testified in court that on June 20, he was armed with a pistol containing 15 rounds of ammunition and was stationed with a colleague near the Kileleshwa-Parklands junction at Museum Hill. The two were in civilian clothing for an undercover intelligence-gathering operation along Uhuru Highway. Kamau stated, “The area was calm throughout the day until I returned my firearm at around 6 p.m. I never entered the CBD the entire week, nor did I discharge my weapon.”

Kamau also dismissed allegations linking him to the shooting, saying, “If my phone activity places me in the CBD, I have no comment. I only started receiving accusations, mainly from Gen-Z individuals, claiming I killed Rex.”

Corporal Ndumba, on the other hand, said he was equipped with a tear gas launcher and deployed near the KICC entrance with a colleague. He testified, “I was in plain clothes—trousers, though I can’t recall the color, and a black jacket. My face was uncovered. I never interacted with protesters, and I didn’t fire a tear gas canister since there were no demonstrators where I was stationed. The vehicle we used was a Mahindra, but I don’t remember its number plate.”

Denying any involvement in Masai’s death, Ndumba added, “I don’t know why I’m implicated. Maybe it’s due to haters. I didn’t have a firearm capable of causing such an injury, and I don’t know Rex Masai.”

During the hearing, the officers were temporarily excused from the courtroom due to the sensitive nature of witness testimonies.

Crispine Odawa, Masai’s father, recounted receiving a distressing call from his wife on the evening of June 20, informing him of their son’s death. Odawa testified that he rushed to Bliss Hospital in Nairobi’s city center, where Masai had been taken.

“There was a visible bullet wound on his left thigh, and the doctor confirmed the bullet was still lodged inside. However, an unidentified police officer from Central Police Station present at the hospital prevented us from taking the body. Later, it was transferred to City Mortuary,” Odawa told the court.