Former OCS Kamukunji police station Robert Mugo in the dock at the Milimani Law Courts on June 9, 2025. /RHODA BOGETA
A former Officer Commanding Station (OCS) at Kamukunji police station, Chief Inspector Robert Mugo, told the Nairobi Milimani law court that officers under his command were not responsible for any civilian deaths during the June 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.
Appearing before an inquest into the death of protester Rex Masai, who was shot during the demonstrations, Mugo stated that his unit was deployed to the lower Central Business District (CBD) between June 18 and 20, 2024 to maintain law and order.
“There were riots and demonstrations within the CBD over the Finance Bill. Our officers from Kamukunji were deployed to manage the situation, focusing on looters in the lower CBD,” he said.
The court heard that approximately 60 officers were sent from Kamukunji to manage the protests. According to Mugo’s testimony, the officers used teargas and batons (rungus) to disperse the crowds.
He explained that some looters, initially pushed back from the upper CBD, regrouped in the lower CBD and caused property damage.
“Some of the demonstrators were armed with crude weapons. Several were arrested and taken to the station,” Mugo testified.
“Officers assigned to handle the riots did not carry firearms. Only officers on other duties were armed,” he added.
Mugo further told the court that Kamukunji police station has around 300 officers in total, but only the 60 deployed for crowd control were involved in the operation.
Several arrests were made; some suspects were charged in court, while others were released.
He clarified that all deployed officers wore official jungle uniforms; none were in plain clothes.
“I did not encounter any demonstrator who was killed or injured during the protests,” Mugo said, though he added that three or four police officers sustained injuries during the operation.
He also told the court that Kamukunji police vehicles regularly transport bodies to the City Mortuary.
On the day in question, two bodies were taken, but Mugo said he did not know their identities.
“I only learned about the death of Rex Masai through social media,” he testified.
The court also heard that Constables Isaiah Murangiri, Benson Kamau, and Geoffrey Kigen were neither under his command nor attached to Kamukunji police station.
“On 25 June 2024, due to widespread looting, GSU and KDF officers were deployed. I did not interact with them as they were brought in to assist my officers,” he said.
Mugo said his team operated solely in the lower CBD, covering areas including Afya Centre, Muthurwa, part of Gikomba, Nyamakima, Luthuli Avenue, and parts of Ngara.
He confirmed he was armed, as required of a station commander, but his officers were not issued firearms for riot control. He also oversaw the Quick Response Unit.
During cross-examination, Mugo reiterated that none of the officers under his command fired live ammunition.
Only one officer on his team was assigned an anti-riot firearm, as shown in his signed and recorded statement.
He also clarified that while 79 officers were armed that day, 60 were specifically deployed to the CBD, some possibly among the 79 accounted for.
Mugo told the court that the officer responsible for the vehicle that transported bodies was not directly under his command, despite being from Kamukunji police station.
He explained that he mentioned Murangiri, Kamau, and Kigen in his statement only because he was asked whether they belonged to his station.
Meanwhile, former Chief Inspector Moses Mutai Shikhukhu, who was OCS at Central police station during the period in question, also gave evidence.
He told the court he first learned of the protests via social media.
Upon confirmation, he informed the sub-county police commander, Senior Superintendent Doris Kimei.
He confirmed protests occurred between June 18 and 20, 2024.
On June 20, his officers were deployed across ten sectors of the CBD.
Each sector was led by inspectors commanding teams of around ten officers. While riot control teams carried equipment such as gas canisters and launchers, they were not armed with firearms.
“All other sector teams were armed with live ammunition as per routine procedure,” Shikhukhu stated.
The sectors included areas near the Hilton Hotel, Tom Mboya Street, Kenyatta Avenue, University Way, the railway station, Jeevanjee Gardens, and River Road.
He noted City Hall fell under KICC Police Station’s jurisdiction, not Central’s.
Shikhukhu said plain-clothed officers were deployed under the sub-county commander.
However, Isaiah Murangiri, Benson Kamau, and Geoffrey Kigen were not part of his undercover team.
He acknowledged Benson Kamau was his officer but was working in a civilian capacity at the time.
“We were patrolling in an eight-man team when we were pelted with stones. Several demonstrators were arrested and taken to Central Police Station,” he said.
He emphasised that no live ammunition was fired by his officers, only teargas canisters were used.
Shikhukhu explained the Quick Response Unit was under regional command led by OCPD Doris Kimei and operated separately from his team.
He clarified firearms are only issued following documentation in the Occurrence Book; no report indicated live ammunition was used on that day.
Officers with firearms wore uniform and carried AK-47 or G3 rifles, while undercover officers carried pistols.
During cross-examination by the defence, Shikhukhu maintained no civilian officers under his command were armed.
“There was no report in the Occurrence Book for 20 June 2024 indicating civilians were armed with guns,” he said.
He concluded by stating his orders involved deploying standby teams equipped only with teargas launchers, while all uniformed officers carried firearms in line with police procedures.
The case was adjourned to 19 June 2025.
