Rex Masai Inquest: IPOA forensic expert analyses video showing plain-clothed officer shooting towards crowd
By Zipporah Ngwatu, March 26, 2026CCTV footage from Absa Bank, Mama Ngina Street, Nairobi, has exposed a man believed to be a plain-clothed police officer as he fired towards a crowd of people during the anti-finance bill protests on June 20, 2024.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) forensic expert told the court the man captured in CCTV shooting towards a crowd of people who were running away is the same captured in two other videos and photographs with police gadgets.
Appearing before Milimani Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, forensic expert Joshua Mutua told the court that the same man had earlier been captured with a walkie-talkie, a riot button and a tear gas launcher.
According to the evidence tendered by Mutua, earlier on June 20, 2024, before the shooting, the suspect was captured wearing a black cap, a black shirt, blue jeans and white sports shoes, and he had a button and a walkie-talkie.
“Your honour, a group of people is seen, and among them is a man with white sports shoes holding a police communication gadget. On his left armpit is a riot button, and on his right hand he has a wrist with Kenyan flag colours, and on the other hand he has a wristband with Izoo initials,” Mutua told the court.
However, after he analysed the Absa Bank CCTV footage, Mutua told the court that the said man later wore a bluish jacket on top of the black shirt he had earlier that day, noting that he was still in the earlier described clothes and still had a riot button.
“Your honour, after examination of the photographs and videos, I formed an opinion that the person depicted in them is the same,” Mutua testified.
On July 16, 2025, officer Isaiah Murangiri Ndumba vehemently denied being the person in the same photos and videos which had been presented to court by IPOA.
IPOA displayed photos in court captured on the day Masai was killed, pointing out it was him by stating the same face and wristband captured were his.
“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.
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 were of him.
“So, now, this other part, please. I wish that everybody allowed us to do it this way. Please face the court beneath 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 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, when he gets home, he confirms the mark using his mirror.
Meanwhile, lawyer Mwangi also pointed out to the wristband that had Kenyan artwork that the officer in the photos was present on both June 18, 2025, and June 20, 2025, but the officer insisted that he was not the one.
The inquest proceeds on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 2 pm with two more witnesses expected to testify.