The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) filed a miscellaneous application seeking to detain Nairobi Central Police Station Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Samson Talam, for 21 days to allow completion of investigations into the gruesome murder of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang.
IPOA requested in documents filed in court that Talam be held at Lang’ata Police Station or any other station within the country, as investigations may dictate.
The OCS was produced in court on Monday June 16 ahead of the hearing of the application. The IPOA also sought orders for electronic gadgets seized from the officer to undergo forensic examination.
The application was supported by an affidavit sworn by Senior Assistant Director of Investigations Abdirahman Jibril, who is attached to IPOA headquarters.
He stated that IPOA is investigating Inquiry No. IPOA/INV/476/2025 into the death of Ojwang, suspected to have occurred at Nairobi Central Police Station while the deceased was in custody.
“Taalam was arrested on June 13, 2025, by DCI officers and handed over to IPOA. He was later booked at Lang’ata Police Station under OB No. 50/13/6/2025 at 6:05 p.m. At the time of arrest, Taalam was informed that it was in connection to the ongoing murder investigation,” reads the application.
The IPOA said preliminary evidence gathered so far indicates that Taalam and others still at large are suspected to have directed, planned, and attempted to cover up the fatal assault of Ojwang inside the police station cells.
IPOA noted that Taalam’s mobile phones, seized during arrest, are yet to undergo forensic analysis. The authority argues that the time since the arrest has not been sufficient to complete investigations, and therefore seeks a 21-day extension to finalize the process while the respondent remains in custody.
Three civilians who were used by police to torture to death Ojwang were Sunday arrested over his murder. They were expected at the JKIA court over the issue.
They have implicated at least two police officers at the station as the ones who facilitated them to the cell where Ojwang was held with a mission to milk information from him.
One of the officers under arrest is said to have even provided them with a riot baton that they used in the mission.
After the victim collapsed in the cells, the three were freed. This came as police and officials from IPOA said they cannot trace two other police officers wanted over the murder.
They include a senior officer who was at the station on June 7 when the incident happened.
Ojwang was arrested in his Homabay home over claims of false publication and brought to Nairobi where he was booked and later clobbered to death. He died on June 7 hours after his arrest and detention at the cells.
Also in custody is a technician who tampered with CCTV camera system at the station. The detectives backing IPOA arrested a technician who installed a CCTV camera system at the station.
The technician is the same one who was called to delete and format the system after the murder of Ojwang. He has admitted his involvement in the mission and added he was paid Sh3,000 for the work. He was also expected in court.
Experts were trying to recover the lost data to back the ongoing investigations. IPOA was Friday allowed to detain Mukhwana for a week as investigations continue into the death of Ojwang.
Mukhwana was arrested on June 12, and IPOA argued that releasing him at this point there would be a likelihood of interfering with the crime scene, evidence including critical documents.
