OCS Talaam, co-accused deliberately assaulted Albert Ojwang to death - DPP

The prosecution told the court that Ojwang walked into Central Police Station alive after his arrest but was found dead the following morning while under the custody of officers who were legally obligated to protect him.

In its opening statement, the DPP said it will present evidence to prove who caused Ojwang's death, how the fatal assault was carried out, and the alleged attempts to conceal the circumstances surrounding the killing.

Prosecutors said they will call members of Ojwang's family to testify that he was physically healthy at the time of his arrest. They will also call the police officers who arrested and transported him to Central Police Station, as well as the pathologist who conducted the post-mortem examination.

According to the prosecution, the medical evidence will show that Ojwang sustained injuries inconsistent with the initial police account that he died after hitting his head against a wall.

The prosecution will also rely on CCTV experts and forensic evidence to demonstrate Ojwang's movements within the police station and to show alleged interference with CCTV footage after his death.

The DPP urged the court to evaluate the evidence it will present, arguing that the accused acted individually and jointly in an unlawful enterprise that resulted in Ojwang's death before attempting to conceal the evidence.

The prosecution maintained that Ojwang's death was not an accident but an intentional act, adding that every Kenyan has the right to be safe while in police custody and that police officers must be held accountable for any abuse of power.

Former Central Police Station OCS Samson Talaam and the other five accused persons have denied the murder charges.