‘They’re Afraid To Come Forward” – Rex Masai’s Family Says Police Cover-Up Of Son’s Death
The family of Rex Masai, a protester who was shot by police during the anti-Finance Bill 2024 demonstrations, is dealing with a stalled investigation following the withdrawal of the only eyewitness statement.
Gillian Munyao, Rex’s mother, expressed frustration with the slow pursuit of justice for her son.
Gillian Munyao revealed on Friday, July 26, at the Catholic University following a Citizens Assembly, that the witness recanted their statement due to intimidation.
Rex Masai's mother Gillian Munyao recounts the tragic events of June 25, 2024 when her son was shot dead during the anti-Finance Bill protests.
— Cyprian, Is Nyakundi (@C_NyaKundiH) July 26, 2024
She says police brutality and intimidation have silenced witnesses and left the investigation in limbo after most of those she hoped… pic.twitter.com/kBeINHiRDf
This revelation is yet another setback for the family, who are already struggling to learn the truth about Rex’s untimely death.
Masai, 29, was fatally shot outside the Hilton Hotel on Moi Avenue in Nairobi on June 20, around 7 p.m. The incident occurred while he was walking home with a friend.
According to Munyao, a rogue police officer fired live rounds, hitting Rex. The bullet remained lodged in his body, resulting in fatal bleeding.
Munyao revealed that Rex’s body had been tampered with prior to the autopsy, adding to the family’s anguish.
“I was with my son moments after he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The doctor showed me a bullet lodged in his left thigh. But when the autopsy was conducted the next day, the bullet was no longer there,” she recounted.
She continued, “There was an opening on his left thigh. I asked, ‘This small thing is what killed my son?’ They told me that is where the bullet was stuck.
“The doctor pressed it and said, ‘You see that hard thing, it is the bullet, and we are not allowed to remove it because the police are here and have taken the report.’”
On the day of the autopsy, the family discovered that the bullet had been removed, complicating their search for justice.
“Me in my mind, I know how I left the child; he is still like that. But we found they had already removed the bullet,” Munyao revealed.
The post-mortem revealed that Rex died of excessive bleeding.
Both the government and the family’s pathologists reported that the bullet wound to his thigh caused significant blood loss.
To add to the family’s distress, the post-mortem was delayed for more than four hours while they waited for a file from the Central Police Station.
This prolonged their agony and highlighted the systemic challenges they faced.
Renson Ingonga, the Director of Public Prosecutions, recently informed Kenyans that the CCTV footage from the incident did not clearly identify the shooter.
“The CCTV footage showing the shooting does not identify the person who pulled the trigger,” Ingonga stated.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has also struggled to identify witnesses to Rex’s death and the deaths of four others during the protests.
The lack of eyewitnesses has hampered the investigation, which has now taken on broader anti-government implications.
However, Faith Odhiambo, the President of the Law Society of Kenya, criticized Ingonga’s position.
“The ODPP has the authority to direct police to offer security to witnesses and to conduct a more thorough investigation,” she argued.
“The kind of cases we have seen shows that people are reluctant to come forward due to fear.
“I was quite disappointed by the statement from the Director of Public Prosecutions. He should be providing solutions instead of saying there is nothing he can do.”
‘They’re Afraid To Come Forward” – Rex Masai’s Family Says Police Cover-Up Of Son’s Death
