The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has approved murder charges against Police Constable Klinzy Masinde Baraza for the fatal shooting of 25-year-old mask vendor Boniface Kariuki Mwangi in Nairobi’s Central Business District on June 17, 2025, during anti-government protests.
Baraza’s colleague, Police Constable Duncan Kiprono, was released without charges, as announced by the ODPP on Thursday, July 10.
The decision has reignited public outrage over police brutality amid Kenya’s ongoing unrest, including the Saba Saba protests that claimed 31 lives and caused an Sh18 billion daily GDP loss.
The incident, captured in a viral video, occurred along Moi Avenue during protests sparked by the custodial death of blogger Albert Ojwang.
Footage shows Baraza, then wearing a balaclava, assaulting Kariuki before firing a shot at close range, initially reported as a rubber bullet, that struck the vendor’s head.
Kariuki, a Murang’a native selling face masks, was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) but succumbed to his injuries on June 30, 2025, after being declared brain dead.
Sources reported the family’s announcement, noting a hospital bill exceeding Sh3 million.
The ODPP’s decision followed investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which found sufficient evidence to charge Baraza but cleared Kiprono, who was seen restraining himself during the attack.
Kariuki’s family, led by parents Jonah Kariuki and Susan Njeri, expressed anguish, with Njeri telling The Nation, “He was just hustling… not a criminal.”
Their demand for justice, echoed by MPs like Betty Maina, gained traction after President William Ruto reportedly donated KSh 1 million for funeral expenses, though the family has not confirmed receipt.
A Nairobi court, presided over by Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi, had detained Baraza and Kiprono for 15 days on June 19, followed by a seven-day extension until July 10, to allow IPOA to collect witness statements, forensic evidence, and CCTV footage.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) condemned the shooting as “premeditated”, with President Faith Odhiambo calling for exemplary punishment.
The case has intensified scrutiny of Kenya’s police force, already under fire for 31 deaths during Saba Saba protests, per KNCHR, and the burning of Itibo Police Station after another fatal shooting.
However, Ruto defended the police actions, now ordering them to shoot at protesters, goons and people destroying businesses on their legs.
As Kariuki’s burial is set for July 11 in Kangema, Murang’a, his death has become a rallying cry against a “rogue” police system, with activists like Okiya Omtatah urging a broader probe into protest-related violence.
With Kenya facing a 67% youth unemployment rate and political tensions ahead of 2027, Baraza’s trial will test the nation’s commitment to justice.
