Witness identifies suspect officer in Rex Masai case through photos
A photojournalist who is a protected witness, named as GG in the Rex Masai inquest, has pointed out to the court similar features in the photos she captured of a civilian police officer during the anti-Finance Bill protests in June 2024.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) had tabled photos captured on June 18 and June 20, 2024, which they said resembled the face and clothing of the prime suspect in the murder of the late activist Rex Masai.
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After tendering the photos and the court recalling the main suspect, officer Isaiah Murangiri Ndumba, for comparison and cross-examination on the captured images, the officer vehemently denied that he was the person in them.
Appearing virtually before Milimani Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, journalist GG, who captured the photos, pointed out a feature that had not been identified in previous court proceedings.
The court was shown a photo where the main suspect was standing among other uniformed officers, wearing a black cap, dark grey short-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, black mask, white sports shoes, and holding a walkie-talkie and a button.
She revealed that on June 20, 2024, the said officer was also wearing two wristbands — one with a Kenyan flag art theme and another with the initials “Izoo.”
The witness pointed out that on his left hand, the civilian officer wore a wristband with the initials “Izoo,” while the right hand had a wristband with Kenyan flag art.
“Please take me back to the June 20, 2024, photos where you will see the man, on his left hand, had a wristband with the initials ‘Izoo,’ while the right hand had one with Kenyan flag art,” GG pointed out to the court.
The journalist, who was testifying from the IPOA offices, also informed the court that it was easy for her to identify police officers in civilian clothes.
She further gave an example of officers in plain clothes arresting protesters, as captured in the video she had submitted to IPOA and which was played in court.
Notably, the witness pointed out that on June 18, 2024, the officer wore a black cap, light blue shirt, black sports shoes, and grey trousers. He was seen standing next to the door of a van containing protesters who had been arrested outside the Supreme Court building.
On July 16, 2025, after IPOA presented the court with protest photos, Murangiri strongly denied that he was the person dressed in a blue shirt, black cap, blue trousers, black shoes, and holding a police walkie-talkie, as seen in the captured images.
While analyzing the photos, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) lawyer David Mwangi pointed out a black birthmark visible beneath the left ear of the man in the photos, which also appeared to match Murangiri — an identification he again denied.
“So now, this other part — please, I wish that everybody allows us to do it this way — please face the court. Beneath your left ear, do you know of any spotting on your face? Please touch the bottom of it,” lawyer Mwangi asked Murangiri.
Lawyer Mwangi then asked the court assistant to zoom in on the captured photos projected in court for comparison.
However, Murangiri insisted he was not the one in the images and said he was not aware of any birthmark on his face, prompting the LSK lawyer to tell him in closing remarks to confirm the mark using a mirror when he got home.
Meanwhile, lawyer Mwangi also pointed out the wristband with Kenyan artwork that the officer in the photos wore on both June 18 and June 20, 2024, but Murangiri again insisted it was not him.
Notably, Murangiri informed the court that on June 20, 2024 — the day Rex died — he reported to work but was stationed around the KICC grounds.
The hearing was adjourned until September 1, 2025, when a Chief Armourer at the Nairobi Central Police Station is expected to testify.
