The inquest into the death of 29-year-old protester Rex Masai took a dramatic turn on Monday after a senior firearms examiner testified that the bullet fragment recovered from the scene was consistent with a live rifle round and not any of the pistols submitted by police for testing.
Testifying before trial magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo, Senior Superintendent Alex Mdindi Mwandawiro of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters told the court that the fragment given to him 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 three pistols provided by DCI Central Police Station, noting that they were of a different calibre and therefore could not have discharged the fatal shot. Instead, he said the evidence pointed to rifles such as the Russian AK-1, the Israeli Galil, or Kenya’s locally manufactured Chalbi rifle.
However, under cross-examination, the officer admitted that his findings were inconclusive since none of the firearms capable of firing the bullet had been presented for testing. “The bullet did not pass through the pistols we received. My duty was simply to examine the exhibits submitted,” he explained.
The testimony also revealed gaps in the chain of custody. Mwandawiro disclosed that while three pistols were supplied for analysis, one went missing before tests were conducted.
In an even more striking revelation, the officer confirmed that the fragment was from a live round, contradicting earlier testimony that no live ammunition had been 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 told the court.
The inquest continues, with Masai’s family and rights groups insisting that full accountability is needed over the use of force during protests.
