2024 anti-Finance Bill protest victim Evans Kiratu Karobia/SCREENGRAB
The delivery of a ruling in the public inquest into the death of 2024 anti-Finance Bill protest victim Evans Kiratu Karobia has been adjourned due to the absence of members of his family in court.
The matter had been scheduled for a ruling on Thursday in the afternoon at the Milimani law courts but did not proceed after the court noted the absence of the deceased's relatives.
The court subsequently deferred the matter to Monday, August 10, 2026, when it is now expected to deliver its ruling.
This marks the second consecutive postponement after the decision, initially scheduled for yesterday, was pushed to today due to time constraints.
The magistrate had released the victim's mother after confirming her attendance in court and informed her that the ruling would be delivered on Thursday.
Kiratu was among several people who lost their lives during the June 2024 anti-Finance Bill demonstrations, which sparked nationwide protests and prompted investigations into the circumstances surrounding a number of protest-related deaths.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) subsequently directed that Kiratu's case proceed by way of a public inquest after investigators were unable to establish sufficient evidence to prosecute any individual.
According to court records, Kiratu sustained injuries on June 20, 2024, within Nairobi's Central Business District during the protests.
He later succumbed to the injuries, with a post-mortem indicating that the cause of death was multiple organ injuries resulting from blunt force trauma.
The investigation established that Kiratu did not suffer any gunshot wounds.
It also found that no witness had come forward to record a statement regarding the alleged assault that led to his fatal injuries.
In light of those findings, the DPP referred the matter for a public inquest on August 15, 2024.
The purpose of the inquest is to establish the circumstances surrounding Kiratu's death and determine whether any person may bear criminal responsibility or whether further investigations are necessary.
The inquest has been progressing before the Milimani court, with several witnesses having testified so far.
Earlier in June, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) said only three of the 62 deaths arising from the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests had reached the courts, nearly two years after the demonstrations that left scores dead and hundreds injured.
Explaining why only three cases have progressed to court despite the passage of nearly two years, Ipoa vice chairperson Ann Mwangi said investigations involving deaths during public protests are often lengthy and complex.
"The completion of investigations is often complex and requires extensive processes involving multiple external agencies. Ipoa frequently relies on institutions such as the National Forensic Laboratory and the Government Chemist for forensic examinations and ballistic analyses, which can affect the timely completion of investigations," she said.
Attention will now turn to Monday, when the court is expected to deliver the deferred ruling and provide further directions in the inquest into the death of Evans Kiratu Karobia.
