By Sysvoline Atieno
NAIROBI, Kenya — The death of Albert Omondi Ojwang, a teacher and social media influencer, while in police custody has ignited a wave of public outrage and renewed calls for police accountability across Kenya.
Ojwang, 33, was arrested on June 6, 2025, from his home in Homa Bay County. He was transferred to Nairobi and interrogated by officers at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) before being detained at Central Police Station.
According to police sources, Ojwang informed officers that he suffered from asthma and was feeling unwell. This led to him being placed in an isolated cell. However, questions are now being raised about his treatment while in custody and the chain of events leading to his death.
Records show that Ojwang arrived at the police station at 9:35 p.m. on June 7 but was not officially booked until 2:35 a.m. the following morning—a five-hour gap that has become a major point of concern in the ongoing investigation.
Police reports indicate that he was found unconscious in his cell at 1:39 a.m. on June 8 and rushed to Mbagathi Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. However, the family contests the official version, claiming his body showed visible injuries and signs of bleeding, suggesting foul play.
“There were bruises on his face, dried blood on his clothes, and deep cuts on his arms,” a family member told reporters. “This was not a natural death.”
A chilling phone conversation recorded between Ojwang and a friend hours before his death revealed his fear and uncertainty. “Will I be safe?” he asked. “I’ve never been arrested before.”
Investigators from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which has now taken over the case, have recovered bloodstained clothing, water containers, and other items from the cell where Ojwang was held. Blood splatters were also found on the floor and walls—evidence that suggests a possible struggle.
In response to mounting pressure, several officers stationed at Central Police Station, including the Officer Commanding Station (OCS), have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. But critics argue that the suspensions fall short of real accountability.
The case has triggered widespread outrage on social media, with citizens, human rights groups, and the legal community demanding full transparency. The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and civil society organizations have called on the Inspector General of Police to release the names of the officers involved and ensure that Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat, who was reportedly the complainant in Ojwang’s arrest, recuses himself from the investigation.
"This cannot be brushed aside," said a statement from the LSK. "Kenyans deserve to know the truth about what happened to Albert Ojwang."
Ojwang’s death is the latest in a string of high-profile cases that have fueled public distrust of the police, and intensified calls for reforms to end abuse, torture, and extrajudicial killings within the system.
As IPOA leads the investigation, the nation watches closely—demanding justice for Albert Ojwang and an end to the culture of impunity in Kenya’s law enforcement agencies.
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