NAIROBI, Kenya— Police Constable James Mukhwana, linked to the controversial death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang’, will remain behind bars until June 20, as a Nairobi court weighs whether to grant him bond or keep him in custody during ongoing investigations.
The decision follows a petition by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which wants Mukhwana held for 21 more days to allow investigators to tie up loose ends in a case that has sent shockwaves across the country.
In court, IPOA’s Abdirahman Jibril warned that releasing Mukhwana now would pose a serious risk to the integrity of the probe, noting fears that the officer could interfere with witnesses or tamper with sensitive evidence.
But the defense wasn’t having it.
Mukhwana’s lawyer, the outspoken Danstan Omari, hit back, saying the officer has been fully cooperative since the investigation began. He argued that Mukhwana voluntarily presented himself to the authorities and that there are no compelling reasons for continued detention.
Omari called the state’s fears “hypothetical and unsubstantiated,” telling the court that if his client were truly a flight risk or a threat to the investigation, he wouldn’t have shown up when summoned.
Meanwhile, IPOA is broadening the scope of its investigation. The authority has applied for a court order compelling Safaricom to hand over subscriber data, call logs, and location history for at least 17 mobile numbers believed to be connected to the case.
This could help investigators piece together what happened in the hours leading up to Ojwang’s death.
Mukhwana was arrested on Thursday in connection to the alleged torture and murder of Ojwang’ inside Central Police Station, where the teacher had been held after his June 7 arrest.
Ojwang’s death has ignited widespread outrage, both online and in the streets, as questions swirl around police accountability and custodial violence.
IPOA is now under pressure to ensure that the case doesn’t quietly disappear into the usual fog of impunity.
All eyes now turn to June 20, when the court is expected to rule on whether Mukhwana will walk free on bond—or stay locked up as the murder investigation gains momentum.
