Milimani Law Courts on Thursday detained two police officers, Constables Masinde Barasa and Duncan Kiprono, for 15 days pending investigations.

The two are linked to the assault and shooting at close range of Boniface Kariuki, a mask vendor, in Nairobi’s CBD during Tuesday’s protests demanding justice for Albert Ojwang’.

Constables Masinde Barasa and Duncan Kiprono were arraigned before Milimani Principal Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi, who directed that they be detained at the Capitol Hill Police Station for 15 more days to allow the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to complete investigations into the case.

“In an attempt to compromise by the applicant’s team, and also since it has been conceded by the respondent, the two suspects will be remanded at the Capitol Hill Police Station for 15 days,” Judge Benmark Ekhubi ruled.

Barasa and Kiprono have come into the spotlight after allegedly shooting Kariuki, who is now fighting for his life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).

However, their case took a new twist after their lawyer, Felix Keton, withdrew from the case, citing numerous threatening messages he allegedly received from individuals purporting to be Gen Z activists.

“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 this matter,” he stated. He added that the threats had extended beyond himself, with his family members also being caught in the mix.

“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,” Keton added.

This comes even as Boniface Kariuki’s family continues to call for justice to be served for their son.