Ex-Police Spokesman Owino
Mulembe Times | June 30, 2025
Former National Police Spokesperson Charles Owino has stirred a fresh wave of public outrage after suggesting that Boniface Mwangi Kariuki, a hawker who was shot in the head by police during anti-brutality protests in Nairobi, “abused” the officer before being shot.
Owino made the controversial remarks during an interview on Citizen TV, where he analyzed a now-viral video showing the moments leading up to the June 17 shooting along Mondlane Street in Nairobi’s Central Business District.
“If you listen to that clip closely, you will hear that boy abusing the policeman,” Owino said. “But you are an officer; you must have restraint. Shoot him with a rubber bullet. You can see what it has caused the image of the police so far.”
Boniface Kariuki, who was participating in the Gen Z-led protests against police brutality, was declared brain dead on Sunday by doctors at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). According to family spokesperson Emily Wanjira, his organs are still functioning, but medical staff have confirmed that there is no brain activity.
“Mwangi is confirmed brain dead. We know what it means. We are just waiting for the doctor to tell us he is no more,” Wanjira told the press.
She added that bullet fragments remain lodged in his brain, and surgical extraction has not been possible, further worsening his prognosis.
IPOA Detains Officers, Prosecution Underway
The two officers involved—Klinzy Baraza Masinde and Duncan Kiprono—have since been interdicted, and are being held by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) as investigations continue.
Both officers are accused of assaulting and shooting Kariuki without just cause. Preliminary reports show that the altercation began with a verbal confrontation before escalating into violence. Video footage shows one officer pushing Kariuki to the ground while the other fires a live round at close range.
The officers face charges of attempted murder and unlawful use of force, pending the outcome of IPOA’s ongoing probe.
Owino Defends Police Autonomy, Blames Youth and Stress
Owino, while condemning the shooting, also appeared to defend the emotional volatility of young officers on duty, implying that Kariuki’s words may have provoked the officer’s actions.
“Such a young boy… If you abuse him, you know what may happen,” said Owino, referring to the age of the shooter.
He emphasized that police officers are trained to make rapid decisions “without reference to superiors or policy books” in high-pressure situations, but insisted rubber bullets should have been used instead of live rounds.
The former spokesman also referenced the now-infamous remarks by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who during a press briefing last week told police to shoot anyone approaching a police station.
“Mtu yeyote atakaribia police station piga yeye risasi… Bunduki sio mandazi,” Murkomen said, remarks now widely condemned by human rights groups.
Owino justified Murkomen’s emotional tone, saying ministers can only give policy instructions to the Inspector General in writing but often feel helpless when security collapses.
“It reaches a point where a minister is seen to be incapacitated by the actions of people,” Owino noted.
National and Legal Backlash Mounts
Owino’s comments have further inflamed tensions in a nation already grappling with anger over police brutality, particularly among Kenya’s youth. Advocacy groups argue that insult or provocation does not justify the use of lethal force, particularly on unarmed civilians.
“What we are witnessing is a normalization of state violence,” said a lawyer with Amnesty Kenya, adding that Owino’s remarks “are irresponsible and dangerous.”
Legal analysts also note that under Kenya’s National Police Service Act, the use of firearms is strictly limited to self-defense or imminent threat of death or serious harm, and even then, non-lethal methods must be prioritized.
The family of Boniface Kariuki has vowed to pursue justice, regardless of the outcome of his current medical condition. IPOA says the prosecution of the two officers will continue and may be upgraded to murder if Kariuki succumbs to his injuries.
Public protests and online campaigns demanding police accountability are expected to intensify in the coming days.
Ex-police spokesman Charles Owino claims hawker Boniface Kariuki insulted a cop before being shot during protests. Kariuki is now brain dead; IPOA is prosecuting two officers over the shooting.
