Investigative officer tells court someone must be held accountable for Rex Masai’s death
By Zipporah Ngwatu, May 29, 2026A principal investigative officer attached to the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA), Justin Nyatete, has firmly told the court that someone must be held responsible for Rex Masai’s death.
Nyatete, who is the final witness in the inquest, told the court that even though they were unable to get the weapon used in the killing of Rex during the June 2024 anti-finance demonstrations, the officer involved must face the law.
The officer who tendered his testimony before Milimani Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo on Thursday, May 28, 2026, revealed that they failed to get the weapon due to non-cooperation by the National Police Service (NPS) during investigations.
“Your honour, despite the fact that we were not able to get the weapon that was used, there was a death that was caused; someone has to be held accountable for the death of Rex Masai,” Officer Nyatete told the court.
During cross-examination by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) lawyer David Mwangi, Nyatete was asked to tell the court who the culprit is, as per IPOA’s expansive and independent thorough investigations.
In his response, the investigator stated that, according to the still photos and CCTV footage that have been tabled before the court, all the evidence points to a civilian officer who resembles Isaiah Murangiri.
Further, the officer pointed out that one of the photographs showed Murangiri’s birthmark on the face, adding that when the said officer appeared before the court, the same mark was identified.
“Your honour, from our investigations, we have demonstrated through the photos that were taken through the CCTV footage that the individual who was captured on the still photos and the person who was seen pursuing the demonstrators resemble Isaiah Murangiri, who appeared before this court with the same mark,” Nyatete told the court.
No grudge
Lawyer Mwangi then asked Officer Nyatete if he had any personal grudge with Murangiri.
In his response, he stated that he had no personal grudge, noting that he did not know him before and that they had been conversing while in another court while he waited to appear before the court on the same matter.
On September 1, 2025, Murangiri vehemently denied being the one in the photos and CCTV footage that had been produced to the court by IPOA.
“I’m not the one in those photos; on June 18, 2024, I did not come to work, as I had sought permission to attend to my sick child,” Officer Murangiri told the court.
He further strongly denied that he was the one dressed in a blue shirt, black cap, blue trousers, and black shoes and holding a police walkie-talkie in the captured photos.
On analysing the photos, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) lawyer David Mwangi pointed out a black birthmark that was in the photos beneath his left ear and which was also in the photos, which Murangiri also denied was his.
“So, now, this other part, please. I wish that everybody would allow us to do it this way; please face the court with your left ear. Do you know of any spotting on your face? Please touch the bottom of it,” lawyer Mwangi asked Murangiri.
Lawyer Mwangi then asked the court assistant to zoom in on the captured photos in the projector for comparison.
However, Murangiri insisted that he was not the one and also noted that he is not aware of any birthmark on his face, prompting the LSK lawyer to tell him in his closing remarks to ensure that when he gets home, he confirms the mark using his mirror.