NAIROBI, Kenya — A doctor from Bliss Healthcare has told a Nairobi court that Rex Kanyike Masai was already dead when he was brought to the facility after being shot during protests against the Finance Bill 2024.
Dr Josephine Michael testified before Milimani Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo that Masai was brought to the hospital at about 6:38pm on June 20, 2024, shortly after he was allegedly shot during demonstrations in Nairobi.
According to the doctor, Masai was unresponsive when he arrived and had suffered severe bleeding from his left thigh.
Dr Michael told the inquest that medical personnel immediately examined him but found no signs of life.
She subsequently declared him medically dead after the examination.
Masai suffered severe blood loss
The testimony gave the court details of Masai’s physical condition when he was brought to Bliss Hospital on the evening of the protests.
Dr Michael said the deceased had sustained severe bleeding from his left thigh and was unresponsive by the time he reached the facility.
The evidence forms part of an inquest seeking to establish the circumstances surrounding Masai’s death, including what happened before and during the shooting and the events that followed.
The doctor’s testimony establishes his condition when he reached the hospital but does not, on its own, determine who shot him or establish the circumstances in which the fatal injury occurred.
Masai shot during Finance Bill protests
Masai was shot on June 20, 2024, during demonstrations in Nairobi against the Finance Bill 2024.
His death triggered widespread public outrage and renewed calls for an investigation into the use of force by security officers during the protests.
The shooting became one of the most closely watched incidents arising from the demonstrations, which were marked by clashes between protesters and security officers in several parts of the country.
The inquest is examining evidence from witnesses and experts to establish what happened before, during and after the shooting.
Inquest continues
The proceedings are scheduled to continue on September 3, 2026, when the court is expected to hear further evidence.
The inquest will examine additional testimony and expert evidence as the magistrate seeks to establish the circumstances that led to Masai’s death.
The proceedings are not a criminal trial against a particular accused person. An inquest is intended to establish facts surrounding a death and may inform any subsequent legal action where warranted.
The court has yet to make a finding on responsibility for Masai’s death.
