A lawyer representing two Nairobi police officers accused of assault and attempted shooting has withdrawn from the case, citing threats to his life allegedly from online activists affiliated with the Gen Z movement.
Felix Keaton, who was representing officers Masinde Barasa and Duncan Kiprono, announced on Wednesday that he would no longer act in the matter involving the two officers, who were caught on video allegedly assaulting a street vendor, Boniface Kariuki, in Nairobi’s central business district.
The footage, widely circulated on social media, shows what appears to be a brutal assault, sparking national outrage and renewing calls for police accountability. The incident has since become a rallying point for young Kenyans who have been increasingly vocal about police misconduct and impunity.
Keaton said he received over 1,000 threatening calls and messages, urging him to abandon 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 said in a statement. He also revealed that the threats had extended to members of his family.
Barasa and Kiprono are expected to appear in court later today.
The case has come to symbolize the growing friction between law enforcement agencies and Kenya’s digitally mobilized youth, who are calling for justice, transparency, and comprehensive police reforms.
Written By Rodney Mbua
