KNCHR dismisses ‘premature police narrative’ that Ojwang’ died from self-inflicted injuries

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has raised alarm over the death of Albert Omondi Ojwang’ in custody at Nairobi’s Central Police Station under unclear circumstances.

In a statement issued Monday, the rights commission condemned what it termed as a “premature police narrative” suggesting that Ojwang' died from self-inflicted injuries.

KNCHR criticized the police for making such conclusions before the completion of any independent forensic investigations, arguing that this undermines public trust in law enforcement.

“The Commission is seriously concerned with the manner in which police are conducting investigations into the death of Albert Omondi Ojwang,” the statement read.

“Such reckless statements, issued before forensic examinations, compromise the integrity of the investigative process and point to a broader pattern of impunity.”

Ojwang’ was arrested by Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) officers in Kakot, Homa Bay County on Saturday afternoon, who said they were probing him over a derogatory post he allegedly made on the social media platform X.

They later drove him to Nairobi and detained him at the Central Police Station.

However, when his family arrived at the police station on Sunday to follow up on the case, police told them Ojwang’ had died and his body taken to City Mortuary.

Police claim the suspect died in hospital from self-inflicted injuries after hitting himself against the cell wall.

They say an officer on a routine visit to the cell he was locked in found him “with blood oozing from his head,” but upon rushing him to Mbagathi Hospital for treatment, he was pronounced dead on arrival.

In Monday’s statement, KNCHR said its officials who visited City Mortuary found that Ojwang’s body bore visible injuries to the face, both hands, and the back of the head.

His head was swollen, with blood visible around his mouth and nose, raising serious questions about the circumstances of his death, the rights body said.

KNCHR said it has launched an independent investigation into the case, which has also since been taken up by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

Police have since revealed that the Kenya Police Service Deputy Inspector-General Eliud Lagat was the complainant behind Ojwang’s arrest. 

Inspector-General Douglas Kanja on Monday said officers manning the Central Police Station at the time of Ojwang's booking had been interdicted.

They include the Officer Commanding Station (OCS), the duty officer on shift on Saturday night, the cell sentry on duty, and all officers manning the report office then.