On June 19, 2025, Constables Klinzy Masinde Barasa and Duncan Kiprono were formally arraigned at Milimani Law Courts over the shooting of vendor Boniface Kariuki during protests in Nairobi’s CBD. The officers, wearing masks, were held in court cells and remanded for a 15-day investigation period per the prosecution’s request.
The court granted detectives from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) 15 days until July 3, 2025 to complete their investigations and determine charges
Their detention was upheld by Principal Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi, citing the need for ongoing forensic analysis, ballistics tests, postmortem reviews, and witness interviews before a formal charge could be issued
On July 10, 2025, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) formally approved a murder charge against Constable Masinde Barasa, citing his alleged act of shooting Kariuki in the head during the June 17 protest. Duncan Kiprono, however, was released without any charges, as there was insufficient evidence linking him directly to the shooting.
Magistrate Ekhubi ordered that Masinde Barasa undergo a mental health assessment to confirm competency before his arraignment in the High Court, scheduled for July 28, 2025. Barasa remains in custody, now at Nairobi Remand Prison, while Kiprono has been freed
