The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has approved murder charges against six individuals, including senior police officers, over the brutal death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang while in police custody.
Among those charged is OCS Samson Kiprotich Taalam, the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) at Nairobi’s Central Police Station, alongside Police Constables James Mukhwana and Peter Kimani. The three officers, along with three unnamed suspects, are accused of assaulting Ojwang on June 8, leading to his death.
The charges, filed under Section 204 of the Penal Code, were announced after the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) submitted its investigation file to the DPP’s office on June 22. According to DPP Renson Ingonga, a specialized team of senior prosecutors conducted a comprehensive review of the evidence before recommending prosecution.
“After careful examination of the evidence, I have approved murder charges against six individuals,” said Ingonga in an official statement.
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The case has taken a darker turn with allegations that OCS Taalam attempted to interfere with the investigation. The DPP revealed that the OCS allegedly paid a technician Ksh3,000 to delete CCTV footage believed to be critical in uncovering the circumstances of Ojwang’s death.
While the identity of the technician remains undisclosed, the DPP asserts that Taalam, being the custodian of surveillance systems at the station, orchestrated the deletion in a calculated effort to obstruct justice.
These allegations were raised in court last week during a hearing at the Milimani Law Courts. Prosecutors argued that the interference was part of a broader scheme to conceal what happened to the blogger while he was detained.
All six suspects appeared before the Kibera High Court on Monday, where they were formally charged with murder. The court had earlier ruled that OCS Taalam be detained for 15 days to allow investigators to finalize their inquiries. His arrest had taken place in Eldoret on June 13, nearly a week after Ojwang’s death.
Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi denied bail for the OCS, noting the prosecution’s submission of “compelling reasons” that warranted his continued detention during the investigation phase.
Despite the charges and the evidence presented, Taalam has denied involvement in the blogger’s death, maintaining his innocence during court appearances.
The case has reignited national debate on police brutality, custodial deaths, and accountability within Kenya’s law enforcement agencies. Ojwang’s death is one among many that have drawn attention to alleged abuses behind police station walls.
Human rights groups have lauded IPOA and the DPP’s swift action, urging the judiciary to ensure a transparent trial and meaningful justice for the family of the slain blogger.
