Keypoints:
- Nairobi officer charged with murder over June shooting
- Victim Boniface Kariuki was not part of protest
- Ruto’s ‘shoot looters in leg’ remark condemned
A KENYAN police officer is set to face a murder charge after fatally shooting a bystander during anti-police protests in Nairobi, prosecutors confirmed on Thursday.
The East African nation has been gripped by mounting demonstrations against President William Ruto’s government, with at least 50 deaths reported by rights groups since the unrest began.
Shot at close range during protest chaos
Boniface Kariuki, a 29-year-old mask vendor, was not part of the June 17 protest when he was shot at close range by an officer clad in riot gear. The incident occurred in Nairobi and was captured on video, triggering nationwide outrage after it spread widely online. Kariuki later died in hospital from his injuries.
His funeral is scheduled for Friday just outside the capital.
Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) confirmed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that it had approved a murder charge against the officer involved.
‘The DPP has approved a murder charge against a police officer who allegedly murdered a mask vendor in Nairobi,’ the statement said.
The officer, identified as 32-year-old Klinzy Barasa Masinde, appeared in a Nairobi court and was remanded in custody. He is to undergo a mental health assessment before being formally charged. A further hearing is set for July 28.
President’s remarks spark backlash
The move to charge Masinde came just a day after President Ruto made inflammatory comments suggesting looters should be shot in the leg during protests.
‘Shoot them in the leg, take them to hospital, and then take them to court,’ Ruto said, prompting widespread criticism from human rights organisations and political opponents, who say the remarks may encourage unlawful use of force.
The protest in which Kariuki was killed was triggered by public outrage over the death of a teacher in police custody. The teacher had been arrested for allegedly criticising a senior officer online. Six individuals, including three police officers, have since been charged with the teacher’s murder.
A rare prosecution amid police abuse claims
Masinde’s prosecution marks an unusual step toward accountability in a country where accusations of police brutality and extrajudicial killings during protests are frequent but rarely prosecuted.
Human rights groups, including the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, have called for sweeping reforms in policing and justice for victims of state violence.
With tensions still high and fresh demonstrations likely, how the Ruto government addresses both accountability and protesters’ grievances may shape the country’s political trajectory in the months ahead.
