Albert Ojwang case: OCS Talaam detained at Lang’ata Police Station for three more days
Central Police Station OCS Samson Talaam before the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on June 16, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Mr Talaam’s lawyer Keyton, urged the court to release his client on cash bail of Sh7,000, saying that was all he could afford.
- He revealed that he had accompanied Talaam to surrender himself on June 13, 2025 at DCI headquarters in Mazingira House.
A court has ordered Central Police Station (OCS) Samson Talaam be detained at Lang’ata Police Station for three days pending a determination on whether he will be released on bond or detained for 21 days for interrogation over the gruesome murder of teacher-cum-blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang.
Ojwang was mysteriously killed while in a holding cell at Central Police Station.
At the same time, Milimani Law Courts Senior Principal Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi was urged by Talaam’s defense lawyers to order a public inquest to establish the cause of Ojwang’s death.
Defense lawyers Felix Kiprono, Danstan Omari, Stanley Kang’ahi, Cliff Ombeta and Shadrack Wambui claimed the interdicted OCS was being held maliciously and insisted that only an inquest would properly uncover the circumstances surrounding Ojwang’s death.
Meanwhile, in Kibera Law Courts, two civilians Gin Ammitou and Collins Karani who were arrested in connection with the murder of Ojwang will be detained at Muthangari Police Station for 14 days.
Gin Ammitou and Collins Karani, the two suspects who are alleged to have been at Central Police Station, Nairobi when the late Albert Ojwang was killed, at Kibera Law Courts on June 16, 2025. Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
Two other suspects, Kelvin Mutisya Mutava and Bryan Mwaniki Njue , both CCTV technicians, were presented at Kahawa Law Courts, where the magistrate also ordered their detention for 14 days.
Ammitou and Karani will be interrogated regarding their role in Ojwang’s death. They will be held at Muthangari Police Station and probed by officers from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa), which is leading the investigation.
So far, six suspects have been arraigned in connection with Ojwang’s murder, OCS Talaam, Police Constable James Mukhwana, Ammitou, Karani, Mutisya, and Njue.
Ordering Mr Talaam to be held at Lang’ata Police Station until June 18, 2025, Magistrate Ekhubi said he would rule on whether to detain him for the 21 days requested by Ipoa or release him on bond.
The authority which was represented by prosecuting counsels Victor Owiti and Jalson Makori argued that Mr Talaam posed a risk of interfering with investigations. Mr Owiti stated that Talaam, who was arrested on June 13, 2025, was brought to court within a reasonable timeframe.
He said the case had generated significant public interest and that the truth about Ojwang’s death must be uncovered.
Mr Owiti further claimed that after Ojwang's death in the cell, Mr Talaam hired a technician to tamper with the CCTV system in an effort to cover up the incident.
Central Police Station OCS Samson Talaam (centre) is escorted by police officers before his arraignment at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on June 16, 2025.
He told the court that Ojwang had been arrested from his home in Homa Bay County following a complaint by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Eliud Lagat, who claimed that a social media post by Ojwang had defamed him.
Mr Owiti provided a chronology of events leading to the “gruesome and heinous killing” of Ojwang, urging the court to grant Ipoa the extended detention to allow investigators time to conclude their work.
Ojwang died in a police cell
He said that following Mr Talaam’s arrest, he was handed over to Ipoa for interrogation regarding Ojwang’s death. Preliminary investigations, Mr Owiti said, had revealed that Talaam interfered with CCTV footage from his office.
“It is undisputed that Ojwang died in a cell while under detention at Central Police Station during Talaam’s tenure as OCS,” Mr Owiti added.
He also cited Talaam as a flight risk, noting that public anger over the teacher’s death could endanger his life.
Mr Talaam’s lawyer Keyton, urged the court to release his client on cash bail of Sh7,000, saying that was all he could afford.
He revealed that he had accompanied Talaam to surrender himself on June 13, 2025 at DCI headquarters in Mazingira House.
The magistrate also heard that the accused has been interdicted and directed to report to the OCS in Eldoret until further notice.
Lawyers Omari and Ombeta argued that the rights of Talaam who has served in the police force for 29 years had been violated.
The application to detain Talaam for 21 days was supported by an affidavit sworn by Assistant Director of Ipoa Abdirahman Jibril, who confirmed that Ojwang died in a police cell.
Mr Jibril requested that Talaam be held in custody for 21 days to facilitate further investigations.
“You will be detained at Lang’ata Police Station until June 18, 2025, when this court will rule on whether to free you on bond or allow Ipoa’s request for 21 days' detention,” Magistrate Ekhubi told the interdicted OCS.