There was a heavy police presence in Murang’a on Thursday morning as the hearse carrying the body of the late Boniface Mwangi made its way to Kangema, Kariara village, where he is set to be laid to rest.
Mwangi, a mask vendor, was shot at close range by police during the June 17 protests. The heightened security along the route comes amid concerns over possible unrest as mourners and residents prepare to pay their final respects.
Mwangi’s burial is expected to draw a large crowd, including family members, political leaders, friends, and human rights activists.
Friends and relatives gathered at the Kenyatta University Funeral Home on Friday morning to view the body before the procession departed for his burial.
Mwangi was confirmed dead last week, after two weeks in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Kenyatta National Hospital, where he was being treated.
A postmortem examination revealed that Kariuki died from a severe head injury. Four bullet fragments were found lodged in his brain.
Mwangi’s burial comes a day after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) approved murder charges against Police Constable Klinzy Masinde Barasa over the fatal shooting.
The ODPP’s decision to prefer murder charges against Barasa follows investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
His co-accused, Duncan Kiprono, has since been released due to lack of evidence linking him to the shooting.
