The death of Albert Ojwang, a blogger and teacher, while in police custody in Kenya has ignited national outrage and intense scrutiny of police conduct. President William Ruto condemned the death as "heartbreaking and unacceptable," instructing the National Police Service (NPS) to collaborate "swiftly, transparently, and credibly" with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) for a thorough investigation. Ojwang was reportedly tortured before being found in bad shape at Central Police Station, Nairobi, and was declared dead on arrival at Mbagathi Hospital on June 8.

Initial police reports suggested Ojwang died by suicide, claiming he hit his head against a wall. However, an autopsy conducted by a team of pathologists, including Dr. Benard Midiai, revealed the cause of death as severe head injuries, neck compression, and multiple soft tissue injuries consistent with assault, effectively ruling out suicide. This disclosure intensified calls for justice and accountability.

Investigations by IPOA have revealed critical discrepancies and potential obstruction of justice. IPOA Vice Chairperson Ann Wanjiku informed the Senate that CCTV footage from the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) office at Central Police Station had been tampered with; the system was found disconnected but powered on when reconnected, yet footage from the night of Ojwang's death was missing. IPOA is working to retrieve the data. The authority also named five police officers involved in Ojwang's arrest: Sergeant Sigei, Sergeant Wesley Kipkorir Kirui, Police Constables Dennis Kenyoni, Milton Mwanze, and Boniface Rabudo.

The events leading to Ojwang's death began with a defamation complaint filed by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Eliud Lagat, against Ojwang concerning posts on the X social media platform. Inspector General (IG) of Police Douglas Kanja detailed to the Senate that the DCI sought information from the Communications Authority (CA) about X accounts, including one named "Pixelpioneer" and another linked to Kelvin Moinde. Moinde was arrested and subsequently implicated Ojwang. A police team arrested Ojwang in Homa Bay on June 7 and transported him to Nairobi, arriving at Central Police Station at 9:17 PM. DCI Director Mohammed Amin stated the transfer was due to jurisdictional requirements as the alleged cybercrime occurred in Nairobi.

During a Senate grilling, IG Kanja apologized for the NPS's initial misleading report on Ojwang's cause of death. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen defended his position amid calls for his resignation, stating that investigative bodies hold the mandate for such probes. DCI Amin identified the OCS of Central Police Station, Samson Taalam, as a prime suspect for failing to formally book Ojwang into the Occurrence Book.

The case has drawn widespread condemnation and calls for action. Activists have petitioned the Milimani High Court to privately prosecute DIG Lagat for Ojwang's murder. Former LSK President Nelson Havi called for the arrest of IG Kanja, DIG Lagat, and Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyagah for concealing murder. Private detective Jane Mugoh advocated for empowering private investigators to probe police misconduct, criticized leaders for silencing social media users, and called for CS Murkomen's resignation. Human rights groups, including the Legal Resources Foundation Trust and the Police Reforms Working Group–Kenya (PRWG-K), have demanded Lagat step aside to ensure an impartial investigation and called for systemic police reforms, drawing parallels to past extrajudicial killings. The US Embassy in Kenya also issued a statement supporting calls for a transparent investigation and accountability, urging that IPOA be fully empowered.

Concerns were also raised in the Senate about Ojwang's solitary confinement and the legality of his transfer without a court order for change of jurisdiction, though DCI Amin clarified that such an order isn't needed for moving a suspect between police jurisdictions. The whereabouts of other individuals arrested in connection with the same defamation complaint were also questioned by senators.

As investigations continue, the public, human rights organizations, and political figures are closely monitoring the developments, demanding truth, justice for Albert Ojwang, and an end to police impunity in Kenya.