Twist as Officer in Rex Masai Killing Alleges He Was Not in Nairobi During Protests

A dramatic turn of events unfolded in court on Wednesday, July 16, in the case surrounding the fatal shooting of Rex Masai, a protester who was gunned down during anti-Finance Bill demonstrations in Nairobi.

The officer accused of the shooting, Isaiah Murangiri Ndumi, denied being present in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) on the day of the protests—directly contradicting surveillance footage and other visual evidence presented by the prosecution.

Appearing before the court, Ndumi firmly denied that he was the individual captured in widely circulated images and videos.

The suspect shown was described as a man dressed in a blue shirt and grey trousers, holding a walkie-talkie—footage that placed him along Uhuru Highway, near the scene of the shooting.

When asked by the prosecution, “The person in a blue shirt and grey trousers with a walkie-talkie, is that you?”
Ndumi replied, “No, your honour, that is not me.”

Despite multiple videos and photographs shown to the court, the accused officer maintained that the person shown in the footage bore no resemblance to him and denied possessing or using a firearm during the protest.

Ndumi also rejected claims that he had a facial mark, which appeared in the video evidence submitted to the court.

Cellphone tracking data, however, placed him at the scene of the shooting on June 20, 2024, contradicting his testimony.

This was compounded by DNA findings that linked the shooting scene to the victim.

“Samples were picked from the scene, and it has already been established that Rex Masai was shot during the demonstrations. The blood sample matched the one collected from Rex’s body,” said Paul Njehia, the investigating officer.

As the trial progresses, three additional officers have been directed to record statements with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) in relation to the ongoing investigation.

The case has drawn national attention as it underscores rising concerns about police brutality and the accountability of law enforcement during public demonstrations.