Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

The arrest of Nairobi Central Police Station’s OCS Samson Talam has taken a bizarre twist, with his lawyer Danstan Omari alleging that the officer’s mobile phone was being used to defraud Kenyans.

This, Omari claimed, was happening while in the custody of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

Talam, who was apprehended on Friday, June 13, in relation to the murder of blogger Albert Ojwang, is currently held at Lang’ata Police Station.

IPOA, which is leading the probe into the custodial death, had taken possession of Talam’s phone on the day of his arrest.

However, according to the city lawyer, disturbing activities have since emerged involving the device.

"The defence conceded to prayer 2 and granted access of the phone to IPOA. The handset was taken by the investigator on the date of arrest. Other than the investigator and the owner of the phone, none has access to the operation of that phone," Omari told the court.

Omari claimed that since IPOA took custody of the phone, it had been used to send messages soliciting money from various individuals, including prominent lawyer Cliff Ombeta, who is part of Talam's legal team.

The lawyer, eyeing the Nairobi senatorial seat in 2027, claimed that Talam's number has asked Ombeta for KSh 80,000.

"From yesterday, that same number of the OCS, has been sending messages soliciting for money. Family members who are here, the phone is engaged in looking for money and fundraising, that the OCS is in a problem and requires people to fundraise for him," Omari continued.

Omari condemned the situation as a serious breach of trust and raised questions about how such misconduct could occur under IPOA’s watch.

"If the commissioners of IPOA, who are in custody of the handset and the password, have allowed that phone and that contact to be used to swindle citizens, it is so serious. We shall be seeking that the custodian of those phones, the commissioners of IPOA, be summoned to this court to explain how the phone in their custody can be used to defraud Kenyans," he said.

Omari pointed to the difficulty they faced in securing IPOA’s access to the phone as a sign of their cooperation.

But now, he said, the responsibility falls squarely on IPOA to explain how a phone meant to be in secure evidence handling could be used against the public.

The court revelations add a dramatic layer to the case that already has both national and international attention.

Talam was named a person of interest by DCI boss Mohamed Amin over the death of Albert Ojwang’, who died in a cell under Talam’s command.

Though the OCS has denied any involvement, Amin dismissed his claims and urged Kenyans to treat his account “with a pinch of salt.”

According to Omari, Talam voluntarily presented himself to the DCI headquarters following Amin’s public remarks. He was later handed over to IPOA and detained at Lang’ata Police Station.

A stand-off reportedly occurred over who had the authority to book him, since IPOA is not empowered to do so.

The matter was eventually resolved after the intervention of IPOA’s senior assistant director of investigations, Abdirahman Jibril, a move Omari says also raised constitutional concerns.

Source: TUKO.co.ke