Written by Were Kelly
Nairobi, Kenya – The postmortem examination for Albert Ojwang’, a young man who died while in police custody, is scheduled for Tuesday, June 10, 2025. The exercise aims to determine the cause of his death, which has sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny over police conduct.
Originally planned for Monday, June 9, the procedure was postponed after government pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor recused himself, citing a conflict of interest due to a familial relationship with the deceased.
His withdrawal prompted concerns from the family, their legal representatives, and human rights advocates regarding the independence and transparency of the process.
Government Pathologist Dr. Njeru has been assigned to carry out the postmortem this afternoon.
However, private pathologists representing the family have rejected the appointment, arguing that the process must be fully independent to maintain public confidence.
Ojwang’s family, along with several human rights organizations, has intensified demands for a comprehensive and impartial investigation.
They have called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to probe what they describe as the “mysterious death” of Ojwang’, who was also a notable social media influencer on platform X.
IPOA Chairperson Ahmed Hassan has pledged a rigorous inquiry, assuring the public that the agency will leave no stone unturned in its quest for the truth. “This case will be treated with the seriousness it deserves,” Hassan stated.
Meanwhile, the family’s legal counsel has dismissed police claims suggesting Ojwang’ died by suicide. Instead, the lawyer cited visible injuries on the deceased’s head, shoulders, and hands as possible indicators of physical abuse or torture while in custody.
“This is not consistent with a suicide,” the lawyer argued, calling for an independent forensic pathologist to be involved in the process.
In a significant development, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja announced that several officers who were on duty at Nairobi’s Central Police Station the night Ojwang’ was detained have been interdicted.
Their suspension will remain in effect pending the outcome of IPOA’s investigation.
