The inquest into the death of 29-year-old protester Rex Masai took a dramatic turn on Monday after new ballistic evidence raised questions about the firearms used during the maandamano protests. A senior firearms examiner told a Nairobi court that the bullet fragment recovered from the scene did not match any of the pistols submitted for analysis and instead must have come from a live rifle round.
What did the firearms examiner reveal?
Senior Superintendent Alex Mdindi Mwandawiro of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations testified that the damaged bullet jacket, handed over by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) on July 1, 2024, was part of a rifle cartridge weighing 0.38 grams.
“The fragment bore right-hand twist engravings and a large engraved area, but its core was missing,” he said.
Mwandawiro ruled out the pistols submitted by DCI Central Police Station, noting they were of a different calibre and incapable of firing the fatal shot. Instead, his findings pointed toward rifles such as the Russian AK-1, the Israeli Galil, or Kenya’s locally produced Chalbi rifle.
Why was the evidence considered inconclusive?
Under cross-examination, Mwandawiro admitted his findings could not be considered conclusive because none of the rifles capable of firing the bullet were presented for testing.
“The bullet did not pass through the pistols we received. My duty was simply to examine the exhibits submitted,” he clarified.
He also disclosed that while three pistols were initially listed for analysis, only two were available, leaving one missing.
Did the court hear new contradictions about live rounds?
In a striking revelation, Mwandawiro told the court that the bullet fragment must have originated from a live rifle round. This statement directly contradicted earlier testimonies claiming no live ammunition was fired during the maandamano protests where Masai lost his life.
“My examination revealed that the damaged jacket was part of a rifled bullet, not rubber,” he testified before trial magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo.
The inquest continues as the court weighs the implications of this evidence on the circumstances surrounding Masai’s death.
By Lucky Anyanje
