Police constable Klinzy Barasa captured shooting deceased mask vendor Boniface Kariuki to be charged with murder. Photo: Snippet from video.
Boniface Kariuki, the mask vendor shot on the left side of the head by a police officer during the Tuesday protests over death of X blogger Albert Ojwang‘ due to police brutality, succumbs at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
Kariuki’s death was confirmed by family spokesperson Emily Wanjira, a day after the doctor’s at KNH declared the deceased brain dead.
Kariuki’s family told the press that they were waiting outside the hospital, when they were called by the hospital and told Kariuki had died at 3:15pm on Monday the afternoon.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Wanjira said that the doctor’s had informed them that all Kariuki’s brain functioning had stopped, but his heart was still beating.
“Mwangi is confirmed brain dead. We fully understand what it means, but are waiting for the doctor’s confirmation that he is dead,” Wanjira said.
The deceased was admitted at KNH in the Intensive Care unit (ICU), where underwent two critical surgeries to remove the bullet residues logged into his brain.
Despite high medical attention and close attention, Kariuki’s condition did not improve at all, as the last surgery doctors failed to remove the bullet residues that had still remained in his skull.
The family had earlier said that the hospital bill had surpassed KSh 2 million, as they called for support to help in settling the high medical bill. The family further appealed for justice and accountability from the officers involved in the shooting of Kariuki, in what they called unprovoked a criminal act.
His death comes as former police spokesperson Charles Owino said that Kariuki had abused the office who shot him. According to Owino, the is a confrontation that can be heard clearly of him abusing the Klinzy Barasa, an officer identified by the National Police service (NPS) as the one who fired the gun.
