Dr. Josephine Michael of Bliss Hospital has told the court that Rex Kanyike Masai was already dead by the time he was taken to the facility on the evening of June 20, 2024.
Testifying before Milimani Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo during the inquest into Masai’s death, Dr. Michael said the deceased was taken to the hospital at about 6:38pm shortly after he was allegedly shot during protests against the Finance Bill 2024.
The doctor told the court that Masai was unresponsive when he arrived at the hospital and had suffered severe bleeding from his left thigh. According to Dr. Michael, medical personnel examined Masai immediately after he was brought into the facility but found that he had already died. She subsequently declared him medically dead following the examination.
The testimony provides the court with details of Masai’s physical condition at the time he was taken to hospital, as the inquest continues to establish the circumstances surrounding his death.
Masai was shot on June 20, 2024, during demonstrations against the Finance Bill 2024 in Nairobi. His death triggered public outrage and renewed calls for investigations into the use of force by security officers during the protests.
The inquest proceeds on September 3,2026. The inquest is expected to hear further evidence from witnesses and experts as the court seeks to establish what happened before, during and after the shooting that claimed Masai’s life.
