Senior police officer arrested over blogger’s death as Kenyans demand justice
Ojwang, 31, was found dead in a police cell last Sunday, two days after his arrest. Police initially claimed he died by suicide, but a subsequent independent autopsy revealed signs of physical assault, raising suspicions of foul play.
Kenyan authorities have arrested the head of Nairobi’s Central Police Station in connection with the death of blogger Albert Ojwang, whose passing in police custody has ignited national outrage and violent protests.
Ojwang, 31, was found dead in a police cell last Sunday, two days after his arrest. Police initially claimed he died by suicide, but a subsequent independent autopsy revealed signs of physical assault, raising suspicions of foul play.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) confirmed the arrest on Friday, also detaining a CCTV technician who had been summoned to dismantle surveillance equipment at the station. According to IPOA commissioner Samati Kemboi, the station's CCTV system was tampered with—footage was altered and wiped in the early hours of the same day Ojwang died.
The case has intensified long-standing concerns about police abuse in Kenya. Rights groups have repeatedly accused security forces of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, allegations that now appear more urgent than ever.
Public anger erupted into the streets on Thursday, as hundreds of people marched in Nairobi, demanding justice. Clashes broke out, with protesters setting vehicles on fire and police responding with tear gas. Many called for the resignation of Deputy Police Chief Eliud Lagat.
Lagat had filed a complaint on June 4, just days before Ojwang’s death, accusing an X (formerly Twitter) account allegedly run by the blogger of spreading "false and malicious" information about him, according to the IPOA.
As investigations continue, the spotlight remains fixed on Kenya's police leadership and the demand for accountability in the face of persistent allegations of abuse.
