Lawyer Felix Keaton withdraws from the case involving officers who allegedly shot protester Boniface Kariuki.
The lawyer who had been representing the two police officers accused of shooting Nairobi hawker Boniface Kariuki during recent protests has bowed out of the case. Felix Keaton cited growing threats to his life and the safety of his family from online Gen Z activists, who have been closely tracking the case.
“In the interest of my safety and that of my family, I’ve made the painful decision to step away from this case,” Keaton said on Wednesday.
Keaton, who had taken up the defence of officers Klinzy Barasa Masinde and Duncan Kiprono, said he had been bombarded with more than 1,000 threatening messages and calls, pushing him to drop the case or face personal harm.
He further revealed that his family wasn’t spared either, with disturbing threats targeting his loved ones and creating a toxic environment he could no longer tolerate.
“This is no longer just about legal duty. It’s about protecting those closest to me,” he added.
Officers in Custody, Protester in ICU
The case follows the June 17 protests in Nairobi CBD, where viral footage showed Kariuki being violently assaulted and allegedly shot by the two officers now in custody. The video triggered national outrage and intensified calls for action against rogue police behaviour.
Barasa and Kiprono were remanded for 15 days as the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) investigates. Meanwhile, Kariuki remains in critical condition at Kenyatta National Hospital’s ICU.
The move has added fuel to the ongoing debate about the role of digital activism in court matters. While some lawyers argue that public threats could derail the justice system, others believe the Gen Z-led pressure is forcing long-overdue reforms in a system long plagued by impunity.
For now, the country watches as IPOA continues with its probe, and as Gen Z keeps amplifying its demand for justice.
