The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) on Wednesday presented strong evidence in court linking police officer Isaiah Murangiri to the killing of Rex Masai.
Rex was shot during the anti-finance bill protests, and IPOA has been investigating the matter since.
In court, IPOA relied on a combination of photographic, video, and phone data to show that Murangiri was near the crime scene on the day of the incident.
Despite this, the officer firmly denied being the person seen on camera.
Officer Murangiri had earlier testified that he was off duty on June 18th, the day the protests began and two days before Rex was shot.
However, the footage presented in court appeared to show him in firing tear gas at demonstrators.
The examiner asked him to look at several images and confirm if he was the person in them.
Each time, Murangiri responded, “I’m not the one.”
In one picture, the examiner pointed out that the person captured was firing a tear gas canister at what appeared to be peaceful protesters.
Murangiri admitted that the person in the image was holding a tear gas launcher but still insisted that it was not him.
The questioning grew more intense when the examiner asked Murangiri to look at a facial mark on the person in the image.
The examiner requested the court to zoom in on the photo and compare it with Murangiri’s face, even asking him to look in a mirror.
Despite the similarities, Murangiri maintained his denial, saying, “It is not me.”
IPOA’s case also included phone location data, which contradicted Murangiri’s claim that he was at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) during the time of the shooting.
The examiner directly asked why he would lie about his location. Murangiri responded by saying, “I’m saying the truth. I’m not lying to this court.”
Further comparisons were made, including an African art tattoo on the wrist of the person in the image and a similar one allegedly on Murangiri’s wrist.
Still, he stuck to his position. Presiding Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo issued new directions to support the ongoing investigations.
He ordered three more officers Corporal Martin Githinji, Constable Simon Waweru, and Constable Geoffrey Mbae to appear before IPOA.
All three are attached to Central Police Station. The court also instructed that the original arms register be given to the investigators to confirm who had access to firearms on that day.
IPOA’s Assistant Director of Forensics, Paul Njihia, confirmed that Rex Masai died from a live bullet.
This detail has been central to the investigation and further complicates Murangiri’s denial.
IPOA remains determined to hold the right person accountable and ensure justice for the family of Rex Masai.
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