IG Kanja apologises for false suicide claim in Albert Ojwang's murder

Earlier in the week, IG Kanja claimed that Ojwang died by suicide after hitting his head on the police cell walls, claims that elicited an uproar from the public, who accused the police of trying to cover up the influencer's death. 

During the Senate proceedings on Wednesday, IG Kanja played cagey in his responses and was adamant that he could not issue any statement until the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) finalizes the investigations.

He also vowed to take action on the officers who provided him with the report, citing that the disciplinary procedures would be in line with the Standard Operating Procedures.  

"If in the ongoing investigations by IPOA, we get to know the truth. The officers who issued the initial report will have to face disciplinary procedures," Kanja stated. 

"From what we've heard here, we will proceed and take necessary measures against the officer who gave us the material on that day."

However, the senators took issue with Kanja's remarks and pointed out that IPOA had ruled out suicide following the release of the autopsy results. 

Boxed into a corner, IG Kanja begrudgingly apologised for the initial report. 

"I tender my apology on behalf of the NPS because of that information," Kanja said amid the applause from the senators. 

During the Question and Answer session, IG Kanja diverted the majority of the answers to the IPOA, citing that the independent body holds the key to unlocking the events that led to Ojwang's murder at the hands of police at Central Police Station. 

This is after senators sought to know who interfered with the CCTV footage on the fateful day, as well as understand why Ojwang had to be transferred from Homa Bay to be booked in Nairobi.  

"IPOA is investigating the entire scene of the crime and will tell us what happened with the CCTV footage. If there's anyone involved in that, punishment must be meted out to the officer," he said.