NAIROBI, Kenya— The noose is tightening around the Nairobi Central Police Station after the death of teacher and influencer Albert Ojwang in custody, with the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) grilling at least ten officers in a deepening parallel investigation.
Ojwang, who was arrested on June 7 over claims of false publication, died just hours later while detained at the station.
Now, the IAU wants to understand what really happened before and after that night—and who knew what, and when.
According to sources, the officers summoned include those on duty during Ojwang’s detention, as well as others mentioned in early witness statements.
They were called in to record statements between Friday and the weekend. The probe has reportedly unearthed troubling allegations: possible torture, a cover-up attempt, and the deletion of CCTV footage at the station.
It’s the kind of story that reads like a police thriller, only this one is painfully real.
The IAU, which investigates police misconduct and makes recommendations to agencies like the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), is expected to submit its findings soon.
Already, the spotlight is fixed on the Officer Commanding Station (OCS), Samson Talam, who has been named as a prime suspect in the alleged murder.
Adding to the weight of the investigation is a technician—yes, a tech guy—who’s admitted to tampering with the station’s CCTV system after Ojwang’s death.
His fee for wiping out the surveillance data? A stunningly low Sh3,000. According to IPOA, this technician was the same person who had originally installed the cameras.
That fact alone has raised eyebrows and deepened suspicions about a coordinated effort to destroy key evidence.
Meanwhile, IPOA (the Independent Policing Oversight Authority) has already secured court orders to hold officer James Mukhwana for a week as they investigate his role in the alleged fatal assault.
In their Milimani Court application, IPOA accused Mukhwana of being part of a group that brutally attacked Ojwang in the station’s cells. They also allege that he—and others yet to be named—participated in a coordinated cover-up.
The entire affair is drawing national attention, not only for its brutality but also because it underscores systemic rot within law enforcement.
Ojwang’s death has become a rallying cry for accountability in Kenya’s police service, reigniting longstanding concerns about abuse of power, lack of transparency, and the ease with which evidence can simply be wiped away.
The IAU’s findings could determine whether those accused are charged—and whether the system still has any shot at restoring public trust.
