The 26-year-old man who died during protests in Majengo, Nairobi, on Wednesday last week was shot in the stomach at close range, an autopsy has revealed.

Police had claimed that Dennis Muthui had been stabbed by unknown people during the skirmishes but Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor in his report stated that he died out of bleeding as a result of shooting with a small-calibre weapon, probably a pistol.

Muthui’s family was present during the postmortem exercise and is now calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the killer cop. The exercise was also attended by investigators from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

Dr Oduor said he also recovered gun pellets and plastics from the deceased’s abdomen, which were handed over to Ipoa detectives as exhibits.

Muthui was among people shot on Wednesday in the mayhem and protests that broke out in Majengo after 17-year-old Ibrahim Ramadhan Chege was killed by the police in a confrontation.

In the chaotic exchange between rioters and police, a police officer targeted Muthui. The police claimed he was among a group attacking them as others looted and destroyed property.

Moments later, the National Police Service (NPS) reported that the victim had been stabbed by criminals and died.

NPS spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said detectives had identified the officer suspected to have shot the man and investigations are being conducted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Internal Affairs Unit.

“Necessary action was taken, including disarming and interdicting the officer, as well as notifying the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa), in compliance with the law,” Muchiri said.

Chege was shot in the head as a police officer fired to the air to escape an attack by a mob outside Majengo Social Hall. This happened after a failed attempt to arrest a known drug trafficker who raised an alarm attracting a mob.

Police said two of their cars were damaged following the riots that followed. They include one which was set ablaze and a Volkswagen Amarok double cabin pick-up which was damaged on both rear and front windscreens, side windows and side mirrors,

Seven staff houses at Kamukunji AP headquarters were burnt down, Pumwani location chief’s office vandalised, and Gorofani assistant chief’s office and Majengo assistant chief’s office were also burnt down.