Nairobi, Kenya – June 20, 2025
A Nairobi court has approved a 21-day detention for police officer James Mukhwana to allow the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to conduct in-depth investigations into the alleged murder of blogger Albert Ojwang’.
The ruling follows a motion filed by IPOA on June 3, 2025, in which the authority argued for the restriction of Mukhwana’s freedoms under Article 24(1)(e) of the Constitution. The court concurred, citing sufficient grounds to justify the limitation of his liberty during the ongoing inquiry.
Magistrate Robinson Ondieki, who presided over the matter, condemned the increasing trend of rogue police officers and criminal elements exploiting public protests to harm civilians. Drawing parallels to the 2020 death of George Floyd in the United States, Ondieki noted disturbing similarities between Floyd’s case and that of Ojwang’, including conflicting narratives between official reports and autopsy findings.
“These are matters of immense public interest,” Ondieki stated. “And as such, the responsibility of ensuring justice is not just a legal duty—it is a moral one that rests squarely on this court.”
Calling for urgent reform within the National Police Service, Ondieki urged both Parliament and the Senate to revisit and update laws governing police conduct, warning that policing structures must adapt to meet modern-day realities. He added that the gravity of the case justified the suspension of Mukhwana’s constitutional right to liberty.
“In a world full of information and connectedness, ignorance is no excuse, poverty is a sin, and prejudice is evil,” he said. The magistrate warned that such tragedies are becoming too common, particularly affecting the youth.
Commenting on the digital age, Ondieki stated, “The train of technology has already left the station; there is no turning back.”
In a poetic and spiritual close to his address, Ondieki cited 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, saying:
“The Lord shall descend from heaven with a great shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. The dead in Christ shall rise first; then we who are alive shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord.”
In a bombshell statement recorded by IPOA investigators, Mukhwana implicated Nairobi Central Police Station OCS Samson Talaam and Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat in Ojwang’s death. He claimed he was summoned to the OCS’s office on the evening of the incident and told:
“There is a directive from DIG Lagat. Do you know him? There are officers from DCI headquarters bringing a suspect here at 8:00 p.m. Tell the inmates to discipline him a bit.”
When he raised concerns, Mukhwana alleges, he was threatened with consequences for insubordination.
Later that night, a black Subaru reportedly arrived at the station with a handcuffed man—later identified as Albert Ojwang’. Mukhwana says he verified the identity with OCS Talaam and booked the suspect into custody at approximately 9:20 p.m.
Soon after, a brutal assault allegedly commenced in the last cell near the station toilets. Mukhwana named four inmates—Collins Ireri, Gil Ammiton, Brian Mwaniki, and Erick Ndambuki—as the individuals ordered to carry out the beating. All four have since been arrested and formally charged.
The unfolding case has reignited national debate over police brutality and command chain accountability, with IPOA now under pressure to uncover the full truth behind Ojwang’s death.
By Were Kelly
