Phone Records Link Officer to Site of Rex Masai Shooting

Mobile phone data placed a police officer at the scene where activist Rex Masai was shot dead during anti-government protests in Nairobi, a court has heard.

A telecommunications expert told the Milimani Law Courts that network records from Safaricom showed Police Constable Isaiah Murangiri’s phone was active in several parts of the Nairobi Central Business District on 20 June 2024, the day Masai was killed. Zachariah King’ori, testifying as a prosecution witness, said the device was traced to areas including St Elis House, Mama Ngina Street, and Kencom House, where protests were concentrated.

The data was submitted to court as part of an investigation by the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA), which had requested phone location records for 18 and 20 June. The officer’s number was among those flagged for review. 

Mr King’ori, led in his testimony by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Jalson Makori, confirmed that the handset registered multiple connections to mobile towers across the CBD during the relevant period. Masai, a young protester, was reportedly shot during demonstrations against the 2024/2025 Finance Law. 

He was taken to Bliss Hospital on Moi Avenue but later died from his injuries. His death occurred during a wave of youth-led protests that resulted in over 60 fatalities and significant damage to property.

In a separate testimony, ballistic expert Alex Mwandawiro presented findings from forensic analysis of weapons used by officers during the protests. The examination seeks to determine whether any of the recovered firearms can be directly linked to the bullet that killed Masai. 

The court is examining the use of force by law enforcement, as well as the role of digital and forensic evidence in the ongoing investigation. The hearing is scheduled to continue on 25 September 2025.