Things are getting even harder for police officer Isaiah Murangiri Ndumba after a journalist presented fresh damning photos and video evidence in court, allegedly showing he is the one who shot and killed protester Rex Masai during last year’s anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.
The witness, a photojournalist codenamed GG for security reasons, handed over five photographs and a video to the court, claiming they clearly prove Murangiri pulled the trigger on June 20, 2024, near Moi Avenue, Nairobi.
The images, recorded on June 18, 19, and 20, were described by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) as crucial in identifying the killer.
GG told the court that on the day Rex was shot, the man in question wore a black cap, grey short-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, white sports shoes, a black face mask, and had a police walkie-talkie. He also wore wristbands one with the Kenyan flag on the right hand and another marked ‘Izoo’ on the left.
In one video clip shown in court, the same man is seen among protesters near the Intercontinental Hotel, while in another photo he is clearing a roadblock with a rungu.
Though recalled to court for comparison, Murangiri denied being the man in the images. “That is not me. I don’t recognize those clothes or accessories,” he said.
But LSK lawyer David Mwangi challenged him by pointing out a black birthmark under the left ear in the photo; a mark Murangiri denied having.
The case resumes September 1, with a police armourer expected to testify about weapon control during the protests.
By Standard