Protests Erupt After Death of Teacher Held in Police Custody
Public outrage has engulfed Kenya following the mysterious death of Albert Omondi Ojwang, a 31-year-old teacher and blogger who died in police custody under circumstances now under investigation by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
Ojwang was reportedly arrested in Homa Bay on Friday, June 6, after a complaint from Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, who accused him of defaming him on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Instead of being detained locally, Ojwang was transferred more than 350 kilometers to Nairobi and booked into Central Police Station on Saturday.
Police initially claimed Ojwang had sustained fatal head injuries after “hitting his head against a cell wall,” but his family and their lawyer dispute that version. According to Julius Juma, the family’s lawyer, Ojwang’s body displayed multiple injuries, including severe swelling to the head, nose, and ears, as well as bruises on his shoulders and hands. “These injuries are inconsistent with a single self-inflicted impact,” Juma stated.
Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Nairobi City Mortuary where Ojwang’s body is being held, chanting “Stop killing us” and demanding justice. The demonstrators later marched to Central Police Station, calling for accountability and transparency in the ongoing investigation.
In response to public outrage, Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome confirmed that senior officers at the Central Police Station had been interdicted. Police spokesperson Michael Muchiri clarified that the interdicted officers are barred from performing their duties and will receive half their salaries during the investigation.
Inspector General Koome further assured the public that police would fully cooperate with IPOA in the probe. “We are giving the investigation team all necessary support,” he said during a press briefing.
Amnesty International Kenya director Irungu Houghton described Ojwang’s death as “very suspicious,” expressing concern that he was never processed at the local police station where he was arrested. “It is quite shocking that instead of being booked in Homa Bay, he was taken on a long journey to Nairobi,” he said.
Ojwang was found unconscious during a routine inspection of his cell and was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, according to police.
The incident has sparked a wider debate over the treatment of government critics and social media users in Kenya. Just last week, software developer Rose Njeri, who built a tool to help Kenyans oppose a controversial finance bill, was charged under a cybercrime law—a charge she denies.
IPOA is currently securing the Nairobi Central Police Station as a potential crime scene as it investigates the true cause of Ojwang’s death.
The nation now waits for the post-mortem results and the IPOA findings, as many Kenyans demand not just justice for Ojwang, but broader reforms to curb police brutality and political intimidation.
In other news:Ten Police Officers Arrested After Fatal Shooting in Nakuru’s London Estate
Protests Erupt After Death of Teacher Held in Police Custody