Rex Masai: Police Officer Who Claimed to Be Off-Duty Cornered as IPOA Shows Photographic Evidence
- A police officer linked to Rex Masai's shooting faced tough scrutiny after IPOA revealed evidence that directly contradicted his alibi
- Photos and phone data showed the officer in action before the killing—on a date he claimed to be home with a sick child
- Despite a visible birthmark matching court images, the officer insisted the man pictured firing tear gas was not him
- The magistrate ordered more officers to appear and demanded the original arms register as the inquest took a tense turn
Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
A police officer linked to the fatal shooting of Rex Masai was cornered in court after the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) presented photographic evidence that contradicted his earlier testimony.
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Corporal Isaiah Murangiri Ndumba, the main suspect in the high-profile case, had insisted he was off duty on June 18, 2024, the date some of the key photographic evidence was captured, and had only reported for work two days later, on June 20, the day Rex was shot.
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But in court, IPOA investigators dismantled his account piece by piece using photos, videos, and phone data.
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During the tense proceedings of the inquest at Milimani Law Courts, a projector beamed a sequence of images showing a man believed to be Murangiri, holding a tear gas launcher and confronting protesters.
The man in the images wore a blue shirt, black cap, and a distinctive wristband featuring Kenyan artwork, details that reappeared across multiple dates, including June 20, the day Rex was gunned down in Nairobi’s CBD.
Despite the visual match, Murangiri stuck to his denial, stating he was not the one in the photos being displayed.
"I'm not the one," he firmly told the court.
Even when IPOA’s team zoomed in on a black birthmark visible beneath the left ear of the officer in the photo and asked Murangiri to face the court for comparison, the officer stood firm.
"I’m not the one in those photos. On June 18, I did not come to work. I had sought permission to attend to my sick child," he stressed.
But IPOA's Assistant Director of Forensics, Paul Njihia, reminded the court that Masai died from a live bullet wound, not tear gas.
IPOA argued that the June 18 photos established Murangiri had been on duty during the protests and was likely part of the covert squad deployed in plain clothes.
How did Muragiri defend himself?
In his defence, Murangiri maintained that he only worked on June 20 and had been stationed near the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
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He added that officers had been briefed there, including a special deployment from the Alpha Mike unit, which he said operated under direct instructions from the OCPD, not the OCS at Central Police Station.
"Although you say that it is not you, this person that bears a resemblance to you, why would you lie to this court that you were at KICC?" the examiner pressed further.
Murangiri remained resolute in court, dismissing the suggestion that he was lying under oath in court.
"Your honour, I’m saying the truth. I’m not lying to this court," he said.
Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo wasn’t satisfied with the unfolding denials, directing three other officers to present themselves to IPOA.
He also ordered the immediate release of the original arms register to the investigating team. The inquest continues Thursday, July 17, at 2pm.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Officer in charge of Nairobi Central, Tiberius Ekisa, denied knowing Murangiri.
Ekisa said he is in charge of 108 officers, who are well known to him, and Murangiri has never been part of them.
How was Rex's shooting inquest delayed?
Earlier, the hearing into the shooting of Rex was adjourned after a crucial police witness, Fredrick Ole Tepes, failed to show up in court.
He had been scheduled to testify ahead of a civilian witness, but without his presence, the proceedings could not continue.
Representing the Masai family, lawyer Mwangi Chege reaffirmed their commitment to seeking justice, emphasising that law enforcement officers must be held responsible for any acts of excessive force during demonstrations.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
