NAIROBI, Kenya – The Officer Commanding Station (OCS) at Nairobi’s Central Police Station, Samson Talaam, has been formally interdicted over the death of Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old teacher and blogger who died under suspicious circumstances while in police custody.
According to an interdiction letter dated June 9, 2025, Talaam has been suspended from duty and placed on half salary pending investigations into the incident.
The order was issued by Regional Police Commander George Sedah and copied to the Deputy Inspector General of Police.
Talaam’s interdiction follows Ojwang’s death at Central Police Station, days after his transfer from Mawego Police Station in Homa Bay where he was initially arrested.
Ojwang was found unconscious on June 7 and later died. Police initially claimed he had injured himself by banging his head against a wall, but a postmortem conducted on June 9 revealed that he died from strangulation and blunt force trauma.
“By reason of this interdiction, your appointment as a police officer shall not cease, but powers, privileges and benefits shall be suspended,” the letter reads.
Talaam has been directed to surrender all official police equipment and vacate the government quarters he currently occupies.
The directive also invokes Section 14(9) of Legal Notice No. 90 of the National Police Service Commission Act, requiring him to report to his permanent residence for accountability purposes.
In addition, Talaam is required to report regularly to Eldoret Police Station, where he will remain under close supervision as investigations continue.
The letter emphasizes that he remains subject to the disciplinary provisions of the National Police Service Act despite the suspension.
Ojwang’s death has sparked national concern, with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) now leading the investigation.
The authority is examining whether disciplinary or criminal charges will be brought against the senior officer and others possibly involved.
Talaam, a veteran of the force with 29 years of service, becomes the most senior officer so far implicated in the case, which has raised fresh concerns over police accountability and custodial deaths in Kenya.
