Mask Vendor Boniface Mwangi Kariuki who was shot by a police officer on June 17 2025 during protests demanding for resignation of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat in Nairobi CBD has been declared brain dead.
According to family members who issued a statement on Sunday June 29, 2025, at Kenyatta National Hospital, doctors informed them that their son was declared brain dead.
The mask vendor’s father, Jonah Kariuki Nyambura, told the media that the doctors called him at midnight on Saturday and informed him that his son’s brain was no longer functioning, although his heart was still beating.
“We were told by the doctors that his brain has stopped functioning. We have not been told that he is dead but his heart is still beating” said Boniface Mwangi’s father.
Family Announces Boniface Mwangi Has Been Declared Brain Dead
The family through their spokesperson Emily Wanjiru, is pleading with the government to expedite justice for their kin.
“We want justice for Boniface Mwangi Kariuki that is the only thing we need,” said Emily Wanjiru.
At the same time, the family of Boniface Mwangi Kariuki is appealing to Kenyans to help them pay the hospital bill for their kin.
“I am pleading with Kenyans to help us cover the bill for our son, although the hospital has not yet informed us how much it has amounted to,” father to Boniface said.
Also Read: Boniface Kariuki’s Father Conned Ksh200,000 by ‘SHA’ Officials
Boniface Kariuki has been in the Intensive Care Unit at Kenyatta National Hospital since his admission after being shot by a police officer.
He was shot once in the head at close range by a police officer during the protests in Nairobi on June 17, 2025.
Boniface Kariuki has had three surgeries since he was shot. The first surgery happened on the day he was shot, and doctors removed the bullet successfully. The second surgery took place on June 19, 2025, to take out bullet fragments still in his head.
Police Officer Who Allegedly Shot Mask Vendor Arraigned in Court
A third high-risk procedure was performed to stabilize his condition, as doctors noted that attempting to remove remaining fragments could fatally damage his brain.
The police officer who allegedly shot the mask hawker, along with another officer who harassed the mask vendor, was arrested and arraigned in court.
The two officers, Klinzy Barasa Masinde and Duncan Kiprono, both attached to Kileleshwa Police Station, were arrested on June 18, 2025, following public outcry over the incident that occurred during protests in Nairobi’s Central Business District on June 17, 2025.
Also Read: KNH CEO Reveals Boniface Kariuki Was Shot with Rubber Bullet
They were arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on June 19, 2025, facing charges of causing grievous harm to Kariuki, who was shot in the head at close range while selling face masks.
The court, under Senior Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi, granted the Director of Public Prosecutions’ request to detain the officers for 15 days at Capitol Hill Police Station until July 3, 2025, to allow the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to complete their investigations.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
