It Wasn't Me: Police Officer Exposed In Nairobi Hawker Shooting Speaks
According to Kiprono, Barasa was roped into a case of mistaken identity, with the lawyer alleging that he and his legal team had no idea who fired the weapon
Marvin Chege 
Police Constable Klinzy (Clinton) Barasa Masinde (No. 119413), who was earlier revealed by the National Police Service (NPS) to be one of two officers accused of harassing and shooting a Nairobi hawker during protests on Tuesday, June 17, has denied that he was involved in the contentious matter.
Lawyer Felix Kiprono, who is representing Barasa, told journalists outside Milimani Law Courts on Wednesday, June 18, that the officer did not shoot the hawker, identified as 22-year-old Boniface Mwangi Kariuki, using a rubber bullet emanating from an anti-riot shotgun.
According to Kiprono, Barasa was roped into a case of mistaken identity, with the lawyer alleging that he and his legal team had no idea who fired the weapon that injured Kariuki during the protests in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).
Screengrab of Police Constable Klinzy (Clinton) Barasa Masinde, the police officer who was found to have shot Eli Joshua at Nairobi CBD on June 17, 2025. /VIRAL TEA KE
"He is saying he is not the one who discharged that rubber bullet, so the person who has been arrested and remanded at Capitol Hill Police Station is a case of mistaken identity. He was not the one who fired that rubber bullet, and we don't know who," he said, adding, "We are calling upon IPOA to take over the matter."
Kiprono, however, recognised that no live bullet was discharged in the matter, even though he denied that the bullet came from his client's weapon, arguing that the gun in question did not belong to him.
"We all acknowledge that there was no live bullet which was discharged, it was a case of a rubber bullet, but the same did not emanate from our client, whereas our client was captured from the footage, that rubber bullet emanated from another gun which is not our client's," continued Kiprono.
Barasa and another officer, Police Constable Duncan Kiprono (No. 117193), were both interdicted and processed by the Homicide Team at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters, pending further action, according to NPS.
Lawyer Kiprono, however, raised an issue with the Homicide team stepping into the matter of the shooting, arguing that Homicide detectives are only called in when someone dies or is murdered, yet in this case, Kariuki survived and was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), where he underwent an emergency surgery.
"What raises eyebrows is the manner in which the Homicide DCI came into the matter. The Homicide unit can only come when the person is deceased or when we have lost someone, but we have not lost anyone, and yet we have the Homicide unit coming to investigate," he went on.
NPS exposing the identities of the officers came after the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) called on NPS to reveal the identity of the officer who shot the mask vendor. In their statement, LSK pointed out that the police had failed to name the officer in their previous communication and urged them to prove that disciplinary measures had been enforced.
LSK President Faith Odhiambo stressed that holding the officer accountable would serve as a warning to others within the force.
"We shall not dance to the piper over a statement that is not only ambiguous but also fails to take responsibility for the criminal conduct of the officer in question. From the Statement by the National Police Service, there is no evidence that the officer has been indicted for his heinous crime.
"We demand that the officer's name, identity, and service number be disclosed, and that he be prosecuted promptly. He must be treated as the face of Impunity and criminality within the Police Service, and his ultimate punishment must serve as a lasting deterrent for all officers who undermine and violate their constitutional duties," the statement read in part.
Meanwhile, KNH CEO William Sigilai earlier revealed to the press that Kariuki's condition had improved since his admission. However, he added that Kariuki remained unconscious and was still being treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Further, Sigilai confirmed that a CT scan of the head confirmed that a bullet had struck the left side of his head. Kariuki was then prepared for emergency surgery to mitigate his condition.
"The patient was wheeled into theatre where a complex and delicate surgery was conducted by a multidisciplinary team under the leadership of our neurosurgeon. The procedure lasted 2 hours. During the procedure, an object believed to be a bullet was removed," he said.
