NAIROBI, Kenya -The family of Albert Ojwang is coming to terms with the death of their son, who died while in police custody in Nairobi’s Central police station on Sunday.
Ojwang had been arrested by authorities in Migori over an alleged misleading social media post implicating a senior police officer.
According to his father, Ojwang was taken from his home and driven to Nairobi.
He was taken to Central Police Station, yet conspicuously absent from the Occurrence Book, a glaring omission that points to covert misconduct.
By dawn on Sunday, he was dead.
The police maintain he “inflicted injuries upon himself” while in custody, a claim shadowed by silence, contradiction, and an unsettling sense of orchestration.
“While in custody, the suspect sustained head injuries after hitting his head against the cell wall,” the police alleged.
Ojwang was a teacher and an influencer on X.
“Police officers on duty promptly noticed the injuries and rushed him to Mbagathi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival,” said the police in a statement.
“In line with statutory requirements, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched an investigation into the incident.”
The statement had however, had not sat well with human rights watchdogs as well as citizens who have called for thorough investigations into the matter.
Earlier, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President, Faith Odhiambo, termed the statement by the police as an attempt to cover up.
STATEMENT: No one should die in police custody. The police have a duty to protect those in their custody. The death of Albert Ojwang at Central Police Station must be urgently and independently investigated. amnestykenya.org/statement-on-t… #JusticeForAlbertOjwang
