IPOA Says CCTV and Photos Link Officer Isaiah Murangiri to Shooting in Rex Masai Protest Case

Rex Kanyike Masai/Photo/file 

An IPOA investigator has told the court that CCTV footage, photographs, and mobile phone data have been used to link officer Isaiah Murangiri to a man allegedly seen shooting at protesters during the June 2024 anti-finance bill demonstrations in Nairobi’s CBD, in the case involving the killing of Rex Masai.

Principal investigator Justin Nyatete, attached to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), testified that investigators relied on multiple forms of evidence to place Murangiri at or near key protest locations on June 20, 2024.

Principal investigator based at IPOA giving his testimony at the Milimani law courts on May 29,2026/photo/Reporter 

“We have demonstrated through the photos that were taken, through the CCTV footage, that the individual captured in the still images and the person seen pursuing the demonstrators resembles Inspector Isaiah Murangiri, who appeared before this Honourable Court,” he said.

Nyatete told the court that CCTV footage from the Absa Bank area near where Masai collapsed showed a man in civilian clothing allegedly firing at protesters during the unrest in the CBD.

A photo of a man seen firing at protestors during the June 2024 antifinance bill protests 

He identified the individual as wearing white sports shoes, blue jeans, a black shirt, a jacket, and a black cap, and said he was seen removing a pistol and shooting at fleeing demonstrators.

“He was seen removing a pistol and shooting directly towards people who were running away,” he told the court.

The court also heard that investigators obtained photographs from a witness identified as GG, a photographer who captured scenes from the protests.

Nyatete said the images showed a man moving across different locations while carrying a radio and wearing clothing consistent with the person seen in the CCTV footage.

Photo of a man holding a police radio during the protests on June 2024 

Investigators later focused on officer Isaiah Murangiri Nduba after records allegedly showed he had been issued with a launcher on the day of the protests.

Nyatete testified that Murangiri admitted being on duty during the June 20 demonstrations and provided his phone number to investigators, but disputed claims regarding earlier deployment details.

However, Safaricom mobile phone data reportedly placed Murangiri at multiple locations during the protests, including Wabera Street, Windsor Building, New Laitaita Building, and Kariokor.

Nyatete told the court that these locations matched areas where witnesses reported seeing officers chasing demonstrators, forming part of the movement pattern reconstructed by investigators.

Despite the findings, Nyatete said investigators were unable to conclusively identify the firearm used, as ballistic analysis did not match weapons submitted for examination.

He maintained that officers in civilian clothing were involved in chasing protesters.

“Our investigations maintain that the people who were chasing demonstrators were officers,” he told the court.

He further stated: “One of the photographs, your honour, showed he had a birthmark on the face, and the officer who appeared before this Honourable Court had the same mark.”

Upper photo of a man in blue shirt,with a black cap suspected in Rex Masai's case,and below Photos of Isaiah Murangiri during giving his testimony in milimani magistrate court.

Concluding his testimony, Nyatete said investigators were satisfied that the same individual appeared across CCTV footage and photographs, linking him to Murangiri before the court.