DPP Frustrates Police Officer Accused Of Shooting Boniface Kariuki
The accused has since pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has opposed the release on bond of Klinzy Barasa Masinde, a 32-year-old police constable charged with the murder of Bonface Kariuki.
During a court appearance before Justice Kanyi Kimondo on Monday, July 28, the DPP urged the High Court to deny Masinde bond until the full hearing and determination of the case is concluded. The accused has since pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
The prosecution argued that Masinde’s active status as a police officer affords him considerable influence, access to firearms, and proximity to key witnesses, some of whom are fellow officers alleged to have witnessed the fatal shooting.
Two police officers harassed Boniface Kariuki before shooting him. /PEOPLE DAILY
Additionally, the DPP raised concerns over the accused’s technical expertise and access to sensitive information, including communication data, which he could potentially exploit to trace or intimidate witnesses.
The prosecution further cited Masinde as a flight risk and warned that his release could spark public unrest and endanger his safety, given the widespread outrage following the incident.
"The DPP maintained that releasing him at this stage could undermine public confidence in the justice system, especially amid ongoing concerns about police accountability in use-of-force cases," a statement from the ODPP read in part.
Justice Kimondo confirmed that the accused had undergone a mental assessment and was declared fit to stand trial.
The court directed Masinde to file a formal bond application within seven days, with the DPP granted the same timeline to respond. The bond application will be heard on August 19, 2025.
As Kenyans demonstrated on June 17, 2025, for justice for Albert Ojwang, who died in a police cell, the two police officers were caught on camera harassing Kariuki before one of them shot him at close range, leaving him unconscious.
The viral video captured Mwangi lying on the ground, bleeding, as alarmed protesters rushed to help him. He was initially taken to Bliss Medical Centre, where he was given emergency first aid while waiting for an ambulance.
He was then transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi, but despite efforts to save him, he did not survive.
