NAIROBI, Kenya – A police officer at the centre of investigations into the brutal death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang’ has lifted the lid on what he says was a top-down order to “discipline” the 31-year-old while in custody — an operation that spiralled into fatal violence.
Police Constable James Mukhwana, currently in detention, has given a blow-by-blow account of the night of June 7, 2025, when Ojwang’ was allegedly tortured inside a holding cell at Nairobi’s Central Police Station.
His statement directly implicates senior police officers, including Central Police Station OCS Samson Talaam and Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat.
In a detailed confession to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Mukhwana claims he was summoned to the OCS’s office during his shift and told there was a directive “from DIG Lagat” to discipline a suspect being brought in from DCI headquarters.
“Do you know him? There are officers bringing a suspect here at 8:00 p.m. Tell the inmates to discipline him a bit,” Mukhwana quoted OCS Talaam as saying.
When he hesitated, Mukhwana says he was warned not to question orders or risk the consequences of defying a senior officer.
Around 9:00 p.m., a black Subaru carrying a handcuffed man — later identified as Ojwang’ — arrived at the station.
He was booked shortly after and placed in the last cell, opposite the toilets.
There, according to Mukhwana, four inmates — Collins Ireri, Gil Ammiton, Brian Mwaniki, and Erick Ndambuki — were ordered to assault him.
All four have since been arrested and charged.
As the beatings escalated, Mukhwana says he and another officer, PC Kimani, intervened.
Ojwang’ was found bleeding and slumped against a wall. Mukhwana says he alerted Deputy OCS Samuel Nganga, urging him to take the victim to hospital, before leaving for home around 10:00 p.m.
The next day, he began receiving calls from colleagues asking if he’d heard what had happened to Ojwang’.
When he reached out to OCS Talaam, he says he was told “things were not bad” and that they were “safe.”
But by June 11, IPOA had summoned him for questioning. Mukhwana admits he initially lied in his statement, in line with a pact among officers to protect each other.
However, he says guilt — and the realization that he was being made the fall guy — pushed him to return two days later and tell the truth.
“This is the truth of what happened,” he stated. “Ojwang’ was not meant to be killed, but to be disciplined… I am sorry for the death of Ojwang’. May God help them to heal the loss. I know it is painful.”
Through his lawyers — Kevin Ondago, Clinton Mwale, and Bietta Wavinya — Mukhwana has asked to be placed under witness protection, citing threats to his life.
The legal team has declined to seek bail on his behalf, saying he does not feel safe outside custody.
The lawyers also claim they have faced intimidation and surveillance by individuals believed to be police officers. A formal complaint has since been filed at Capitol Hill Police Station.
Deputy IG Lagat has since stepped aside from his role to allow investigations to proceed unhindered. OCS Talaam has denied any involvement in the murder.
