LSK demands justice after lawyer Tom Ouya is allegedly tortured, killed

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Police Service (NPS) to conduct impartial investigations into the death of advocate Tom Ouya Imbukwa, who succumbed to injuries after a reported brutal assault.

In a statement issued on Thursday, LSK President Charles Kanjama revealed that Imbukwa was initially found alive – but in critical condition - at Harambee SACCO Estate after the assault.

He was later admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), where he died.

The society raised serious concerns over the circumstances surrounding the incident, noting allegations that Imbukwa had been living in fear for about two weeks before the attack after reportedly receiving threats from a police officer. 

It is further alleged that before his condition worsened, he indicated that he had been assaulted by police officers and other individuals. The society noted that these claims remain subject to verification through investigations.

Preliminary observations indicated that Imbukwa sustained severe injuries reportedly consistent with torture, including allegations that his left eye had been gouged out. 

The LSK boss also pointed to discrepancies in the case, noting that while he appeared to have bled from his injuries, officers at the Savannah Police Post indicated that there was no blood at the scene where he was found. 

This, Kanjama said, raised questions about whether the assault may have occurred elsewhere and whether there was an attempt to conceal key details of the probe. 

LSK linked the incident to broader concerns over rising insecurity among advocates, noting that Imbukwa’s death follows the September 2025 killing of lawyer Kyalo Mbobu, for which accountability remains unresolved.

"Taken together, these incidents present an alarming picture regarding the safety of Advocates and the environment within which they are expected to discharge their professional and constitutional duties," Kanjama noted.

"Against this backdrop, the legal profession is increasingly alarmed by the growing vulnerability of Advocates to violence, intimidation, and retaliation arising from the work that they do. Such acts pose a serious threat to the administration of justice."

The lawyers’ body also urged members of the public with information to come forward through official reporting channels or directly to the Society.

Additionally, the society said it would provide legal assistance to the family, including assigning an advocate to support them through the investigation.

It is also assisting in identifying an independent pathologist to participate in the postmortem to ensure transparency.

In honour of Imbukwa, Kanjama called on LSK members to wear purple ribbons throughout the week as a collective demand for justice.