NAIROBI, Kenya — The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is turning up the heat in the probe over the death of blogger Albert Ojwang’ by seeking to detain Nairobi Central Police Station OCS Samson Taalam for 21 more days.
In a miscellaneous application filed in court, IPOA is asking for Taalam to remain in custody at Lang’ata Police Station—or any other facility in the country—as investigators continue to unravel what exactly happened to Ojwang inside police cells.
According to an affidavit sworn by Senior Assistant Director of Investigations Abdirahman Jibril, the case centers on the suspected murder of Ojwang while in custody at Nairobi Central Police Station.
Taalam was arrested on June 13 by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and handed over to IPOA.
He was booked into Lang’ata Police Station at 6:05 p.m. under OB No. 50/13/6/2025, with the reason for his arrest clearly stated—he was a person of interest in the murder probe.
IPOA is also requesting court approval to forensically examine the mobile phones and electronic devices seized from Taalam during his arrest.
Investigators believe the devices could contain crucial digital evidence related to the alleged cover-up of Ojwang’s fatal assault.
Preliminary evidence, the authority argues, suggests that Taalam—alongside other individuals who are still at large—not only directed and planned the attack but also attempted to conceal it after Ojwang’s death in custody.
The affidavit paints a chilling picture of orchestrated abuse and silence within the walls of the police station.
While Taalam has already spent a few days in custody, IPOA insists the time has not been enough to complete the complex investigation. They argue that more time is needed to comb through forensic data, secure witness statements, and analyze evidence without interference or risk of flight.
The court is now expected to rule on whether the OCS will remain behind bars for the full three-week period requested—potentially setting the stage for further arrests in a case that has ignited public outrage and raised fresh concerns about police accountability in Kenya.
