The inquest into the death of protester Rex Kanyike Masai continued on June 9, 2025, with former Kamukunji Chief Inspector Robert Mugo testifying that police officers under his command were responding to criminal acts, not peaceful demonstrations. According to Mugo, the events of June 20, 2024, involved looters and rioters rather than lawful protesters.
Mugo, who served as Officer Commanding Station (OCS) at Kamukunji during the anti-finance bill protests, told the court that his officers had been assigned to control the lower section of the Central Business District (CBD). This, he explained, became the fallback zone for demonstrators who were pushed out of the upper CBD by law enforcement.
He described a shift in the nature of the crowd once they reached the lower CBD. According to him, individuals who had been part of the demonstration turned violent, engaging in looting and the destruction of property, particularly targeting supermarkets and other businesses in the area. Mugo told the court that these individuals were no longer peaceful demonstrators but criminals who posed a threat to public order and safety.
He further alleged that some members of the crowd were armed with offensive weapons. The police, he said, responded by making arrests. Several of those apprehended were taken to Kamukunji and Central police stations for processing. Mugo insisted that none of the roughly 60 officers he commanded on that day were armed with firearms. He maintained that they were only equipped with teargas canisters and batons, tools that he claimed were used strictly to control the crowd and restore calm.
In his testimony, Mugo strongly denied witnessing or hearing of any fatalities in the lower CBD during the protests. He stated that one of his officers suffered serious injuries during the unrest but reiterated that no deaths occurred within his jurisdiction.
He also provided information regarding a police vehicle assigned to Kamukunji Police Station. Mugo explained that he had returned the vehicle to the head office before the height of the protests. Later, he learned that the same vehicle had been used to transport two bodies to the city mortuary. However, he claimed not to know the identity of the deceased at the time or whether their deaths were linked to the protests. He expressed unawareness that Rex Masai was among the bodies transported.
Contrasting accounts emerged from the testimony of former Central Police Station OCS Moses Mutai Shikuku. Shikuku confirmed that officers were deployed both in uniform and in civilian clothing during the protests. Some of the plainclothes officers, he added, were sent from police headquarters and were tasked with gathering intelligence and facilitating communication as the protests unfolded.
Shikuku acknowledged that these undercover officers were armed and had been issued live ammunition, in line with their regular duties. Among them was police constable Isaiah Murangiri, who has been implicated in the shooting of Rex Masai. Shikuku also recounted his own experience on the day, stating that he and his team were targeted with stones, and he himself was struck during the chaos.
In light of the conflicting testimonies and the seriousness of the allegations, Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo recalled the former Central Police Station OCPD Doris Mugambi to address questions raised during the hearing.
The inquest will resume on June 19, 2025, at 9 a.m., with nine additional witnesses expected to provide testimony as investigations into the death of Rex Masai continue.
