One of the demonstrators who participated in last year’s anti-government protests that saw activist Rex Masai shot dead on Monday, May 12 took the witness stand at the Milimani Law Courts.

Fredrick Omondi, who says he was with Rex during the protests, told the court that the activist was killed by a police officer.

Omondi, an ICT engineer and a resident of Utawala, told the inquest that there were no gangs in the streets that day, “just us and the police”. He claimed that plainclothes police officers fired live bullets directly into a crowd of demonstrators.

At first, Omondi said, the said plainclothes officers stood with their uniformed counterparts. However, they later blended into the crowd.

The inquest heard that on the fateful day, it was around 6:50 pm. Omondi said that shooting began at the intersection of Mama Ngina Street and Wabera Street, near City Hall.

“Police had been dispersing protesters using tear gas launched from the Supreme Court roundabout towards City Hall Way. As the demonstrators retreated and regrouped along Mama Ngina Street, they were intercepted by six police officers—two of whom were in civilian clothing”, Omondi told the court.

Although he was not at the exact scene where Rex was shot, Omondi said he witnessed as officers fired live bullets at protestors.

“I saw a police officer shooting. I can identify him,” he testified. He said he collected spent and live cartridges near GPO and Kencom. “They were live rounds. You could tell by the sound.”

According to Omondi, the said officer in civilian clothes wore a black cap, white sneakers, dark jeans, and a dark jacket.

Omondi told Milimani Principal Magistrate Geofrey Onsarigo that after police fired live bullets, chaos erupted and the demonstrators ran helter skelter in different directions.

Masai was killed on June 20, 2024, during the youth-led anti-government protests, calling for accountability and good governance.

The family of Rex is being represented by Lawyer Mwangi Chege of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).