NAIROBI, Kenya— The push for justice in the death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang’ has taken a sharp turn, as the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is now asking the court to detain Police Constable James Mukwana for 21 days—citing fears that the officer may tamper with crucial evidence and intimidate witnesses.
Appearing before the Milimani Law Court on Friday, IPOA lawyers painted a picture of a murder investigation on shaky ground—alleging that Mukwana, if released, could obstruct justice by influencing fellow officers.
Their concerns hinge on what they described as a growing web of interference, especially following the June 8 incident when CCTV footage at Central Police Station was allegedly tampered with.
“There is a real risk of interference,” IPOA’s Abdirahman Noor Ibrahim told the court. “The CCTV system was already tampered with, and not all suspects have been identified or arrested.”
IPOA is sounding the alarm over what they call the “blue code of silence”—an unspoken culture within police ranks that could hinder their probe into the suspicious death of Ojwang’, who died while in custody under murky circumstances that have triggered public outrage.
But Mukwana’s defense team, led by prominent lawyer Danstan Omari, was quick to punch holes in IPOA’s argument.
Omari called the detainment request speculative and unsupported, saying that the state had failed to present any compelling reason to deny his client bail.
“The concerns raised are based on assumptions,” Omari argued. “If the respondent interferes with the investigation, then bond terms can be canceled. But you can’t punish him based on fears.”
Omari proposed strict bond conditions instead—including barring Mukwana from accessing the Central Police Station—insisting that this would balance the scales of justice while protecting his client’s rights.
The court will now have to decide between caution and civil liberties, as the case draws fresh scrutiny over police conduct, accountability, and a justice system already under pressure to deliver answers.
