Death in Custody: IG Kanja Reveals Chilling Timeline of Albert Ojwang’s Final Hours

Police Chief lays bare controversial arrest that led to teacher’s death, while IPOA confirms CCTV tampering at Central Police Station

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja delivered a stark and detailed account to the Senate on Wednesday, chronicling the events that led to the controversial arrest and subsequent death of social media influencer and teacher Albert Ojwang—a case that has sent shockwaves across Kenya and sparked demands for justice.

The timeline Kanja presented reveals a calculated investigation that began with a tweet and ended with a death in custody that authorities now believe was murder.

The Tweet That Started It All

The saga began on June 4, 2025, when Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat filed a formal complaint with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

The complaint centered on posts published on X (formerly Twitter) that Lagat claimed were “false and malicious.”

According to Kanja’s testimony, the controversial posts alleged that Lagat was under investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for corruption within the National Police Service.

One particularly damaging post depicted Lagat alongside senior officer Joseph Chirchir under the caption “EACC investigating top cop after purchase of $2.6million home in Dubai,” accompanied by Lagat’s photograph and the phrase “Eliud Lagat – Mafia Police.”

The posts further alleged that Lagat had “strategically placed his most trusted officers in charge of DCI desks occurrence book and traffic sheets in order to control revenue streams and intelligence flow.”

Digital Trail Leads to Arrests

DCI Director Mohamed Amin immediately assembled a specialized cybercrime investigation team comprising Corporal Abdulrahman Hussein, Constable Dennis Kanyoni, Constable Samuel Kamau, and Constable Milton Mwanza.

Hillary Mutai from the Serious Crimes Unit joined the operation, visiting Vigilance House on June 4 to record Lagat’s statement.

The investigation moved swiftly.

On the same day, investigators wrote to the EACC to verify whether Lagat was indeed under investigation and contacted the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) to obtain registration details for the X account handle @pixelpioneer and preserve associated posts.

The responses were telling.

CAK confirmed the account was active with 13,400 followers, while EACC categorically denied any investigation into Lagat, effectively debunking the social media claims.

First Arrest in Kisii

On June 5, the investigation team traveled to Kisii County, booking themselves at Kenyenya Police Station at 12:55 hours.

Local officer Police Constable Phanice was assigned to assist the operation.

Their first target was Kevin Moinde, who was arrested at his homestead and booked under OB number 25/05/06/2025 before being transferred to DCI headquarters.

Under interrogation, Moinde provided crucial information that would expand the investigation dramatically.

“At DCI headquarters, Moinde provided a statement implicating four other individuals,” Kanja told senators.

“The team’s analysis revealed that Ojwang had also posted similar content.”

Moinde disclosed the involvement of four other individuals: Albert Ojwang, Dorcas Mawia, Douglas Marigiri, and Peter Mbugua, also sharing their respective X account handles.

The Fateful Journey to Homa Bay

With Ojwang identified as a key suspect through the digital evidence and Moinde’s statement, the investigation team set their sights on Homa Bay.

On June 6, they reported to Magwengo Police Station, where the Officer Commanding Station assigned three local officers to assist with the operation.

Analysis of Ojwang’s X account revealed he had posted similar defamatory content about Lagat.

The decision was made to arrest him under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act 2018.

Albert Ojwang was arrested and booked under OB number 06/07/06/2025.

His departure for Nairobi was recorded under OB number 11/07/06/2025 at Magwengo Police Station.

The Last Journey

The journey to Nairobi would be Ojwang’s last as a free man—and ultimately, his last journey alive.

Kanja’s account paints a picture of what appeared to be a routine prisoner transfer, but one that would end in tragedy.

“The team made a stop at Narok town for refreshments during which the suspect requested water, a bottle of soda and biscuits,” Kanja testified.

“They arrived at Central Police Station in Nairobi at approximately 21:17 hours.”

At 21:24 hours, just seven minutes after arrival, Ojwang contacted his wife to inform her of his safe arrival—a call that would be his last communication with the outside world.

Chief Inspector Talam, the officer commanding Central Police Station, authorized the booking.

Officers Mohamed Rashid and Hiro Abdullahi processed Ojwang into the cells after confirming his “normal physical and mental state,” with the entry recorded at 21:35 hours under OB number 136/07/6/2025.

Death in the Early Hours

The official timeline takes a dark turn in the early morning hours of June 8.

According to Kanja, officers manning the report office desk at Central Police Station found Ojwang unconscious in his cell during a routine visit.

“He was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital at 01:39 hours,” Kanja stated.

“Unfortunately, he was declared dead on arrival.”

The gap between the last confirmed sighting of Ojwang alive and his discovery unconscious represents approximately four hours—four hours that have become the focus of intense scrutiny and investigation.

IPOA Findings Point to Murder

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) delivered damning testimony that contradicted any suggestion of suicide or natural death. IPOA Vice Chairperson Ann Wanjiku told senators that preliminary findings had ruled out suicide and pointed to foul play.

“The CCTV system located at the OCS office had been interfered with,” Wanjiku revealed.

“The post-mortem showed that Ojwang died from a head injury caused by blunt force trauma, neck compression, and multiple bruises on his body. This clearly shows he did not die by suicide.”

The revelation that CCTV footage had been tampered with sent shockwaves through the Senate chamber.

IPOA had seized the CCTV recording device and sent it for forensic analysis, which confirmed deliberate interference with the system.

Forensic Evidence of Violence

The post-mortem examination, conducted on June 10, 2025, at Nairobi Funeral Home, painted a disturbing picture of Ojwang’s final moments.

The autopsy was carried out by a team of pathologists including Dr. Njoroge, Dr. Oduor, Dr. Mutuma, and Dr. Ndegwa.

Their unanimous conclusion was that the cause of death was blunt force trauma, evidenced by:

• Head injuries including internal bleeding into the head
• Features of neck pressure suggestive of compression or strangulation
• Multiple superficial injuries on the upper lips and lower lips

The examination was witnessed and documented by officers from IPOA, the homicide team from DCI, and DCI forensic experts.

Swift Administrative Action

In response to the death in custody, IG Kanja detailed the immediate administrative actions taken to ensure accountability:

• Interdiction of the officer commanding Central Police Station
• Interdiction of the Officer on Duty on the night of the incident
• Interdiction of the Cell Sentry on Duty during the time
• Interdiction of all officers who were on duty at the report office that night
• Ongoing review to identify and interdict any additional officers involved

Senators Demand Answers

The Senate hearing revealed deep frustration among lawmakers over the handling of the case. Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua demanded clarity on exactly where Ojwang was first booked upon arrival in Nairobi and raised concerns about the lack of transparency regarding his health status.

“Who interfered with the CCTV cameras on the night in question? You cannot tell us you don’t know because if you do, there is a big problem, Mr IG,” Wambua challenged.

Nominated Senator Veronica Maina questioned why there was no backup footage from such a sensitive station, arguing that the CCTV system at Central Police Station should have redundancies.

A Case That Shook the Nation

The death of Albert Ojwang has become a lightning rod for broader concerns about police conduct and accountability in Kenya.

What began as an investigation into social media posts about police corruption has transformed into a murder investigation that has exposed serious failures in the criminal justice system.

The case has drawn comparisons to other controversial deaths in police custody and has reignited debates about the use of cybercrime laws to silence critics of government officials.

As investigations continue under IPOA’s direction, the family of Albert Ojwang and the Kenyan public await answers about how a teacher and social media influencer’s criticism of a senior police officer led to his death in custody.

The final chapter of this tragic story remains unwritten, but the evidence presented suggests that Albert Ojwang’s final hours were marked not by suicide or natural death, but by violence that someone tried desperately to cover up—violence that has left a family without a father and a nation demanding justice.

IPOA has assured the Senate that their final report will reflect an independent and complete investigation into Ojwang’s death, while the National Police Service faces its gravest crisis of public trust in recent memory.

Investigation continues…