NAIROBI, Kenya— Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has laid out a detailed timeline of the arrest and tragic death of social media influencer Albert Ojwang’, who died in police custody under circumstances that have ignited national outrage and a Senate-led inquiry.
Speaking under oath before the Senate, Kanja began by linking the case to a complaint filed by Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat.
On June 4, 2025, Lagat raised alarm with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), claiming he was falsely accused on X (formerly Twitter) of being under investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
That complaint set the wheels in motion for what would become a highly scrutinized arrest.
DCI boss Mohamed Amin promptly assembled a team of officers—Abdullrahaman Hussein, Denis Kanyoni, Samuel Kamau, and Milton Mwanza—to investigate the claims. That same day, senior officers Hillary Mutai and Mwanza visited Vigilance House to formally record Lagat’s grievance.
Kanja told senators that the DCI team wasted no time. They wrote to both the EACC and the Communications Authority (CA) seeking confirmation of any probe against Lagat, and identifying details behind the anonymous X account responsible for the viral posts.
By June 5, the EACC had officially confirmed that Lagat was not under investigation. Meanwhile, the CA identified the handle behind the posts—an active account with 13,400 followers—and linked it to one Kevin Moinde.
Investigators concluded the allegations online were false, and had violated Kenya’s Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.
The first arrest followed quickly. The team traveled to Kisii, reported to Kenyenya Police Station, and arrested Moinde on June 5. After booking him, they transferred him to DCI headquarters in Nairobi, where he reportedly implicated four others—including Albert Ojwang’.
On June 6, officers shifted their focus to Homa Bay. After checking in at Magwengo Police Station, they arrested Ojwang and recorded his booking under OB number 06/07/06/2025. The same station logged their departure to Nairobi that evening.
During the journey, Kanja noted, Ojwang asked for soda, water, and biscuits. They arrived at DCI headquarters in Nairobi around 9:17 p.m. Ojwang contacted his wife to confirm he was safe.
Police then logged him into custody under OB number 21:35 after assessing his physical and mental state.
What happened next, though, remains murky—and controversial.
Kanja stated that on the morning of June 8, officers conducting a routine check discovered Ojwang unconscious in his cell. He was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital but pronounced dead on arrival. No further details on injuries or cause of death were shared in the IG’s address.
The narrative, though meticulous, has not satisfied many—including senators and civil rights groups demanding accountability.
Ojwang’s death—initially framed as self-inflicted—is now the subject of a full-blown parliamentary investigation amid widespread public skepticism.
The case raises critical questions about due process, police accountability, and digital freedom in Kenya. As pressure mounts for transparency, what began as an online post has spiraled into a political and human rights crisis at the heart of Kenya’s justice system.
