NAIROBI, Kenya – Two police officers accused of shooting a street vendor during anti-police brutality protests in Nairobi’s Central Business District have been arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts.
Masinde Barasa and Duncan Kiprono were presented before the court on Thursday under tight security.
The officers, dressed in black trousers, heavy coats, and face masks, arrived in a Toyota Premio and were held briefly in the court cells before their appearance.
The shooting, which took place on June 17 along Moi Avenue, occurred as demonstrators took to the streets demanding justice for the late blogger Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody under suspicious circumstances.
During the protest, Boniface Mwangi Kariuki — a street hawker wearing a mask — was allegedly shot in the head at close range by one of the officers.
The incident happened in broad daylight and was captured on camera, further fuelling national outrage.
Kariuki was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital, where he remains in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in critical condition.
The graphic footage and the brazenness of the shooting have drawn sharp condemnation from the public, civil society organisations, and political leaders, who have decried what they term as escalating police brutality and impunity.
Following the incident, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja ordered the immediate arrest of the two officers, pending investigations by the Internal Affairs Unit and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
Their arraignment comes amid heightened national attention on police conduct, with youth-led protests continuing to call for justice and systemic reforms within the National Police Service.
The case will proceed as investigators seek to determine the full circumstances surrounding the shooting and the officers’ individual roles.
