NAIROBI, KENYA — Streets across Nairobi were filled with chants of grief and defiance on Monday 9 June, as hundreds of demonstrators joined growing calls for justice following the death of Albert Omondi Ojwang, a 31-year-old Kiswahili and Religious Studies teacher who died under controversial circumstances while in police custody.
Ojwang, an alumnus of Pwani University and based in Voi, was a devoted father to a two-and-a-half-year-old child and the only child in his family. He had travelled to Migori County to visit relatives when he was arrested on Friday, June 6, by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on allegations of false publication.
He was subsequently transported to Nairobi, where he was interrogated by DCI headquarters officers and later booked at Central Police Station that evening at 9:35 p.m., under Occurrence Book (OB) Number 136/7/6/2025.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), Ojwang was found unconscious in his cell during a routine inspection and rushed to Mbagathi Hospital at 1:39 a.m. on June 7, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The incident was logged under OB Number 09/08/06/2025.
Initial Police Statement Sparks Outrage
On Sunday, June 8, a day before the latest developments, the NPS Directorate of Corporate Communication issued a statement confirming that Ojwang had been “lawfully arrested” and that he had sustained head injuries after allegedly “hitting his head against the cell wall.” Police officers, the statement claimed, “promptly noticed the injuries” and rushed him to hospital, where he died.
“NPS reaffirms its commitment to upholding constitutional standards of human rights and fundamental freedoms,” the statement read.
However, the vague nature of the explanation, and the delay in providing it, triggered intense skepticism on social media and from civil society organizations, with many questioning whether the injuries were self-inflicted and why no earlier alerts had been issued.
Public Demands Answers
Albert Ojwang’s father expressed deep shock and confusion over the circumstances of his son’s death. He stated that he was present when Albert was arrested in Homa Bay County and personally handed him over to police officers.
“I do not understand how, less than 24 hours after handing my son to the police, his body is now lying dead at the city mortuary,” he said.
The family is demanding a transparent and swift investigation into the events that led to Ojwang’s death, seeking accountability from the law enforcement agencies involved.
Adding to the family outcry, the public response has been far from patient. The streets of Nairobi, particularly near Central Police Station, and Nairobi City Mortuary have become the epicenter of growing protests. Carrying placards, chanting “Justice for Albert!”, and singing songs of resistance, demonstrators demanded not only full accountability in this case but broader police reforms.
On social media, the #JusticeForAlbertOjwang hashtag continues to trend, with Kenyans—especially the youth—expressing outrage over custodial deaths and what they perceive as a culture of impunity within law enforcement agencies.
Inspector General Orders Interdictions
In a detailed press release issued on June 9, Inspector-General Douglas Kanja Kirocho acknowledged the need for a thorough and impartial investigation. To facilitate this, he confirmed the immediate interdiction of:
- The Officer Commanding Station (OCS), Central Police Station;
- The Duty Officer and Cell Sentry on duty that night;
- All officers who were at the Report Office during the incident;
- And any other personnel found to have had a role in the events surrounding Ojwang’s death.
“The National Police Service remains committed to upholding the rule of law, human rights, transparency and accountability,” Kanja stated. “We ask for the public’s patience as independent investigations progress.”
Legal Fraternity Condemns the Incident
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the death of Albert Ojwang while in police custody, terming it an “inexcusable contradiction” of the constitutional standards expected of law enforcement. LSK President Faith Odhiambo questioned the legality of Ojwang’s transfer from Mawego Police Station to Nairobi without court orders and described the incident as indicative of systemic failures within the police service. The society called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to expedite investigations and demanded that Deputy Inspector General Eliud Langat recuse himself from the process due to a conflict of interest, citing him as the original complainant. The LSK also urged broader police reforms, particularly targeting stations with a history of detainee mistreatment.
