14 Officers Grilled By IPOA In Albert Ojwang Murder Probe As Missing CCTV Footage Raises Alarm

At least 14 police officers have been questioned by detectives from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) concerning the death of Albert Ojwang while in police custody. The officers, drawn from Nairobi’s Central Police Station and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), are among 18 individuals identified and summoned by IPOA as part of its intensifying investigation into Ojwang’s death.

Ojwang, a prominent activist, died on June 7, 2025, just hours after his arrest in Homa Bay County on claims of “false publication.” His death has triggered widespread public uproar and fervent calls for accountability from all concerned parties.

The summoned officers spent a significant part of Wednesday at IPOA’s offices in Nairobi, providing their statements on the circumstances surrounding Ojwang’s death. Some attended with legal counsel, while others appeared without representation.

According to internal sources, some police officers claimed that Ojwang was already in a critical condition when he was brought into Central Police Station and alleged they made efforts to save his life upon realizing his deteriorating state. Conversely, DCI officers present stated that Ojwang was in a good condition when he was handed over at the station around 9:35 PM on Saturday.

Central Police Station OCS Under Scrutiny

Samson Taalam, the Officer Commanding Central Police Station (OCS), who is at the epicenter of the probe, has denied any involvement in Ojwang’s alleged torture and subsequent death. Taalam claimed he was only summoned after Ojwang had already been booked into custody and that upon his arrival, he found the suspect in poor health, taking the initiative to rush him to the hospital.

However, DCI boss Amin Mohammed made a bold statement on Wednesday during a Senate grilling session regarding Ojwang’s killing, declaring that Taalam should be treated as the prime suspect in the saga. Amin revealed that investigations have established that Taalam declined to book Ojwang when he was initially presented at the station, raising serious questions about his conduct and potential culpability.

“It has further been confirmed that before the booking, the report office personnel called the OCS, and unfortunately, it is being said that he (Taalam) declined to book the suspect,” Amin told the Senate. “Taalam is the Officer Commanding Central Police Station, and from the totality of things, he should be treated as the prime suspect in the matter.”

Amin clarified that Ojwang was transferred from Homa Bay to Central Police Station because the alleged offense was committed in Nairobi. IPOA has taken over the probe, with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) giving the authority seven days to submit the investigation file for action.

Crucial CCTV Footage Missing

In a significant development, IPOA Vice Chair Anne Wanjiku revealed before the Senate on Wednesday that the probe into Ojwang’s unexplained death has hit a snag due to missing key CCTV footage from the OCS’s office at Central Police Station. Wanjiku noted that preliminary investigations showed footage that would have been vital in piecing together the events at the police station is missing, raising further questions about the circumstances of the death. Senators are now demanding answers regarding the disappearance of the footage.

Wanjiku added that the autopsy report on Ojwang’s body, coupled with the missing footage, rules out the possibility of suicide as initially reported by the police. “CCTV systems at the OCS office had been interfered with, the postmortem conducted on June 10 revealed the cause of death as head injury due to blunt force trauma, neck compression and multiple subcutaneous bruises all over the body. They rule out the theory of suicide,” she confirmed.

IPOA’s pending tasks include forwarding collected samples from the crime scene and the deceased’s body for further analysis. The investigation continues amidst mounting public pressure for justice and accountability.