Rex Masai inquest: IPOA officer says CCTV footage showing man firing during protests authentic

Shot depicting firing during the 2024 anti-finance bill protests/JAMES GICHIGI 

An inquest into the death of Rex Masai on Wednesday heard that video and photographic evidence presented in court is authentic and shows a man opening fire at protestors during the June 20, 2024 demonstrations in Nairobi.

The proceedings before Senior Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsaringo heard testimony from Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) Senior Assistant Director of Forensics Joshua Mutua, who appeared as a witness.

Led in evidence by State Counsel, he told the court he is a crime investigator and forensic expert with over 10 years’ experience and is certified in crime investigations.

He said he was involved in investigations into the shooting of Rex Masai along Mama Ngina Street on June 20, 2024.

Mutua testified that on July 14, 2025, he received a request from investigating officer Justin Getete to analyse digital evidence linked to the case.

The court heard that the request was accompanied by a 16GB flash disk containing videos and photographs for forensic examination and certification.

“The request was to print and certify the photos, ascertain whether the video recordings were authentic, make a report under certificate and produce the contents before this court,” he said.

Upon examination, Mutua told the court the flash disk contained 36 photographs and two videos.

He testified the photos were taken on June 18 and June 20, 2024, with 18 containing metadata while the rest were raw images.

The images were displayed in court as exhibits as the ipoa officer described them.

He said the first set of photographs showed a general procession of people, including a man of brown complexion wearing a black cap, blue shirt, grey trousers and black sports shoes.

This was while he was holding what appeared to be a police communication gadget.

Other images showed the same man among individuals boarding a police lorry and later with equipment secured under his arm.

Photographs taken on June 20 captured a closer view of officers and what the ipoa officer said was another man wearing a black cap with the word “Bell”

He added that the man appeared dressed to in a black shirt, blue jeans and white sports shoes, with what appeared to be a Kenyan flag bracelet on his wrist and holding a communication gadget and a riot baton.

Mutua said forensic tools were used to analyse the two videos to determine their authenticity and integrity.

The first video, recorded on June 18 and lasting 13 minutes and 22 seconds, showed the same man holding a blue mobile phone and what appeared to be a communication radio while standing near a police lorry and later moving towards a police Land Cruiser.

The second video, recorded on June 20, showed a group of individuals removing stones from the road, among them a man wearing a black cap, black shirt, blue jeans and white sports shoes, holding a communication gadget and a riot baton.

“After examination of the photos and videos, I formed the opinion that the same man appears in all the photos and videos,” Mutua testified.

The court also heard that IPOA requested CCTV footage from Absa Bank along Mama Ngina Street to establish events on the material day.

The bank supplied footage covering the period between 7pm and 7.17pm on June 20, stored in a previously blank 32GB SanDisk storage device.

Mutua said the CCTV footage was analysed using forensic video investigation tools and certified as authentic.

The footage, played in court, as described by the officer, showed a group of people walking along the street before a man charged at the crowd, prompting people to run as gunfire was discharged at around 7.11pm.

“The footage has in no way been modified, altered or interfered with,” Mutua said, adding that all evidence was kept under safe custody under lock and key until analysis was completed.

The inquest continues.