Rex case: Former Kamukunji OCS says police dealt with criminals, not protesters
Former Kamukunji Chief Inspector Robert Mugo has told the court that on June 20, 2024, during the anti-finance demonstrations, they dealt with looters and criminals.
During the Rex Masai inquest, on Monday, June 9, 2025, OCS Mugo told the court that he was instructed to control the lower Central Business District (CBD) because it was within his jurisdiction, where the rioters retreated to from the upper CBD.
Further, OCS Mugo told the court that the demonstrators who moved to the lower CBD turned to criminals and committed various crimes, including destroying properties.
“Once the demonstrators, looters and rioters were reversed from the upper CBD, they found their way towards the lower CBD, where there are supermarkets and other businesses, and they started looting from the businesses,” OCS Mugo told the court.
He also told the court that some of the rioters had offensive weapons, adding that they handled the situation by arresting some of them who were locked up at Kamukunji and Central police stations.
OCS Mugo also stated that none of the roughly 60 officers deployed on riot duty had firearms, insisting that they only had teargas and batons to calm the rioters.
Notably, he said that none of his officers were in civilian clothes.
His defense
Mugo vehemently denied encountering any deaths from the lower CBD and stated that he also did not hear of any reported deaths, but one of his officers sustained serious injuries.
“As the OCS at that time, I did not encounter any death from the riots; there was none, and I did not hear of anyone who was killed during the riots in my jurisdiction,” OCS Mugo told the court.
He also informed the court that he had surrendered the Kamukunji police station vehicle to the head office, which he later learnt was used to transport two bodies to the city mortuary that day.
OCS Mugo revealed that he was not aware that Rex Masai was transported in the same vehicle, and he was not aware if the two people taken to the city mortuary were killed during the riots.
He maintained that no death was recorded within his area of jurisdiction.
At the same time, the former Central police station OCS Moses Mutai Shikuku informed the court that on that day they deployed officers in both police uniforms and civilian clothes.
“Alongside uniformed officers, we deploy some with civilian clothes who work undercover,” OCS Shikuku revealed.
However, he stated that there were some officers in civilian clothes who were deployed from the head office and were alerted to the issues of demonstrations for them to communicate smoothly once they kicked off.
“The officers carried firearms, and they had been issued with live ammunition as usual in their normal duties,” OCS Shikuku told the court.
He also revealed that police constable Isaiah Murangiri, who is one of the officers implicated in the fatal shooting of Rex Masai, was among the civilian officers deployed on the material day he was shot.
Additionally, he told the court that he also had a long day with his team during the demonstrations, stating that they encountered lots of stone throwing, where he was also hit with one.
Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo recalled the former Central Police Station OCPD Doris Mugambi to clarify matters raised during today’s inquest.
The inquest will proceed on June 19, 2025, at 9 am, where nine more witnesses are expected to testify.
