Fredrick Omondi, a key witness in the inquest into the death of Rex Maasai, testified that he did not observe any goons or gangs among the protestors during the 2024 anti-Finance Bill demonstrations. Omondi, who was reportedly present at the protests, emphasized that the confrontation was between the police and the demonstrators, with no sign of criminal groups infiltrating the crowd.
“I never saw goons or gangs. It was just the police and the protestors,” Omondi told the court during his testimony. His statement challenges claims that there were organized criminal elements involved in the protests, focusing the blame squarely on the actions of law enforcement.
Omondi recounted seeing both uniformed and plainclothes police officers during the protests. He detailed an early encounter with plainclothes officers who were initially blending in with the uniformed officers before separating and joining the protest crowd.
The violence, according to Omondi, began shortly after the protestors passed the KCB building on Mama Ngina Street. While he was not present at the specific location where Rex Maasai was fatally shot, Omondi claimed to have witnessed police officers firing live rounds at the protestors. “I saw a police officer shooting live bullets, and if given the chance, I can identify him,” Omondi stated, offering to pinpoint the officer responsible.
Omondi’s testimony further revealed that he collected several spent and live cartridges from locations such as the GPO and near Kencom, highlighting the widespread use of live ammunition during the protests. “They were shooting live rounds. I could tell from the sounds,” he noted, stressing that these were not related to the shooting incident involving Rex Maasai.
One particularly vivid account detailed an officer in civilian clothing, identified by Omondi as wearing a black cap and armed with a pistol and club, shooting directly at protestors. “He was shooting live rounds of ammunition using his pistol,” Omondi recalled.
Omondi’s testimony paints a picture of escalating aggression from the police, who were described as moving relentlessly toward the protestors, further intensifying the tension during the demonstration.
