Lawyer Quits Mask Vendor Shooting Case Citing Gen Z Threats
Lawyer Felix Keaton has formally withdrawn from representing two police officers accused of shooting a street vendor during recent anti-police protests in Nairobi, citing threats and harassment from the public, particularly Gen Z activists.
Keaton had been representing officers Masinde Barasa and Duncan Kiprono, both of whom are accused of assaulting and shooting Boniface Kariuki, a mask vendor, during the June 17 demonstrations in the city’s Central Business District.
In a statement issued on Thursday, June 19, Keaton revealed he had received over 1,000 messages and calls from individuals identifying as members of Gen Z, demanding he stop defending police officers linked to acts of brutality.
“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 the matter,” Keaton stated.
He added that his family had also been targeted, receiving threats and disturbing messages from outraged citizens. “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.
Keaton’s withdrawal comes amid growing tension following viral footage of a police officer allegedly shooting Kariuki at close range near Imenti House on Moi Avenue. The image, widely circulated by Africa Uncensored and citizen journalists, sparked a national outcry and renewed calls for sweeping police reforms.
At a press conference held on June 18, Keaton had defended his clients, claiming the bullet that hit Kariuki did not originate from them. “What you saw yesterday of a demonstrator being allegedly shot—that rubber bullet was not from our client. I want you to consider looking at the angle,” he told journalists.
His remarks, however, only intensified online backlash, with Gen Z influencers and civil society groups accusing him of shielding rogue officers from accountability.
Barasa and Kiprono were arrested on June 17 and remain in custody following a court ruling that allowed the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to detain them for 15 days pending further investigations into the shooting.
The case has become a flashpoint in Kenya’s national debate on police brutality, protest rights, and the responsibility of legal professionals in high-profile cases involving state violence.
In other news:Court Grants IPOA 15 Days to Detain Officers Accused in Hawker Shooting Case
Lawyer Quits Mask Vendor Shooting Case Citing Gen Z Threats