A post-mortem conducted on January 6 on the body of 14-year-old Dennis Iringa has revealed that he was shot from the back. The deceased died from bullet wounds that are alleged to have been inflicted by the police when he was on a motorbike in the Utange area, Mombasa County.
According to the report, the bullet entered through the left side from the back and exited anteriorly. Furthermore, the bullet fractured the left shoulder bones and surrounding ribs, damaging major blood vessels, killing him.
The family was seeking accountability and further investigations into the circumstances surrounding his killing.
Dennis' mother broke down as she called for justice, saying she wanted those responsible for her son's death brought to justice as soon as possible because of the pain she continued to endure.
"I would like the ones who committed this heinous crime be brought to justice as fas as possible because I'm really hurting all the time," the mother cried out.
Director General of Vocal Africa, Hussein Khalid, who was also present, wanted the police officers responsible for the killing to be arrested and prosecuted as soon as possible. He stated that those responsible for the killing should be taken to jail to ensure justice is served.
"We want the killer cops to be arrested and prosecuted as soon as possible and be taken to jail," he stated.
According to the activists, the deceased was shot while fleeing for his life on New Year's Eve.
Kenya has also witnessed high-profile cases in previous years, including the 2021 killing of the Kianjokoma brothers after their arrest in Embu, and the torture and murder of Dennis Lusava at a police post in Kakamega County. This case resulted in prison sentences for the officers involved.
Earlier, during the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests, 29-year-old Rex Kanyeki Masai was shot dead along Moi Avenue in Nairobi, a case that saw a police officer scheduled to stand trial.
In June 2025, street vendor Boniface Kariuki was shot in the head at close range during protests in Nairobi’s central business district and later died after spending weeks on life support. The same month, teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang died while in police custody at Central Police Station, with several officers and civilians later charged with his murder.
In September 2025, activists documented the killing of 26-year-old Simon Warui in Samburu County, describing it as an extrajudicial execution allegedly carried out in front of women and children.
Human rights organisations cited that while institutions such as the Independent Policing Oversight Authority and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights existed to investigate police misconduct, many cases remained unresolved, contributing to public mistrust in law enforcement.
