Felix Keaton, the lawyer representing two police officers accused of assaulting and shooting a protester during anti-government demonstrations in Nairobi, has withdrawn from the case, citing threats from Kenya’s Gen Z movement.
Keaton was defending officers Barasa Masinde and Duncan Kiprono, who were filmed attacking Boniface Kariuki, a face mask vendor, on Moi Avenue during the height of Tuesday’s nationwide unrest on June 17, 2025. The footage, widely circulated online, sparked public outrage and renewed calls for police accountability.
In a statement released on Thursday, June 19, Keaton said he was stepping down from the case “in the interest of personal safety” after receiving over 1,000 messages and calls from Gen Z members protesting his decision to defend the police.
“I have received over 1,000 messages and calls from Gen Z because of representing a police suspect. As such, I hereby recuse myself from the conduct of the matter,” he wrote.
Keaton also revealed that his family has received disturbing and threatening messages, prompting him to end all legal representation in the case.
“In the interest of my personal safety and that of my family, I have taken the painful but necessary decision to cease all legal representation in this matter,” he added.
During a press briefing on June 18, Keaton had insisted that his clients did not fire the rubber bullet that struck Kariuki, challenging the angle of the viral footage and stating,
“That rubber bullet was not from our client… I want you to consider looking at the angle.”
His remarks only fueled widespread public anger, particularly among digitally mobilized Gen Z protestors, many of whom view Keaton’s defense as enabling police impunity.
The two officers were arrested by internal affairs officials on June 17 and remain in custody. They are scheduled to appear in court today, amid intense public scrutiny and calls for justice.
A viral photo from the scene, published by Africa Uncensored, shows one of the accused officers charging toward the protester from a police convoy—an image that has since become emblematic of police aggression during the protests.
This case has become a flashpoint in the broader national conversation on police reform, youth activism, and the role of legal professionals in defending state agents accused of brutality.
