A senior police officer at Nairobi’s Central Police Station has dismissed allegations of a cover-up in the handling of firearms records linked to the fatal shooting of protester Rex Masai.
Testifying before the inquest, armory officer Fredrick Okapesi admitted that the firearms register contained inconsistencies but attributed them to clerical errors inherent in manual recordkeeping. He insisted that any mistakes were made in good faith and not with the intention of concealing the truth.
“The register is manually generated and prone to errors,” Okapesi told the court, explaining that officers are allowed to correct mistakes by striking through or applying a blackwash. “There was no attempt to hide the truth.”
The officer emphasized that firearms were only issued through proper procedure and denied claims that weapons were irregularly distributed during the June 2024 anti-government demonstrations. He maintained that the register remained a reliable record for the court to rely on in determining the case.
Okapesi addressed specific concerns regarding Corporal Githinji, admitting an oversight where he thought he had erased the officer’s signature but later realized it was still visible. He insisted, however, that no officer would ever be allowed to leave the armory without signing for a weapon.
He also testified regarding Constable Isaiah Murangiri, the main suspect in Masai’s killing. Records showed Murangiri was issued with a firearm on June 20, 21, and 22, but not on June 18, as previously alleged. Okapesi clarified that Murangiri had been assigned a launcher used for rubber bullets and tear gas canisters, which he said were intended for crowd control rather than live fire.
“The arms register presented in court for that week is accurate,” he said, stressing that no live rounds were issued or used during the protests.
When presented with an image of Murangiri allegedly holding a launcher, Okapesi acknowledged the photo was unclear but confirmed that his signature in the register indicated Murangiri had been assigned one on June 20.
Masai was shot dead on June 20, 2024, in Nairobi’s central business district. The inquest continues to probe whether police used excessive force during the protests.
