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.
In a surprise turn of events, an assistant director of investigations at the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) Abdirahaman Jibril has been summoned to explain how the cell phone of the OCS Central Police Station Samson Talaam is being used to solicit funds from unsuspecting members of the public.
Mr Jibril, who is investigating Talaam over the chilling murder of a teacher-cum-blogger Albert Ojwang will appear before Milimani Law Courts senior principal magistrate Benmark Ekhubi on June 20, 2025.
Mr Ekhubi summoned the IPOA investigator following a disclosure by defence lawyer Cliff Ombeta that “he received a request to assist the OCS Mr Talaam with Sh80,000 to bail him out of a dire financial need.”
The shocking and astonishing disclosure was made by Mr Ombeta teaming up with lawyers Felix Keyton, Stanley Kang’ahi, Danstan Omari and Shadrack Wambui soon after the magistrate declined to release the OCS on bond. He ordered Talaam to be detained for 15 days at the Lang’ata Police Station IPOA to conclude investigations into the gruesome murder of Ojwang.
Applying to summon Jibril, Mr Omari and Mr Ombeta wondered how the cellphone which was confiscated from Talaam by IPOA is being used to solicit and defraud members of the public including the defence lawyer money.
“I urge this court to summon Jibril to explain why IPOA officers are using the cellphone of Talaam to solicit money on his behalf. This is a fraud of the worst order,” Mr Omari submitted.
Soliciting cash
He said on June 17, 2025 around 9 pm, Mr Ombeta received a messenger from Talaam’s cellphone number 0722919880 requesting he assist him with Sh80,000 to enable him to sort out some serious financial matters.
Asked Mr Omari: “If IPOA took away Talaam's cell phone, how come it was used to solicit Sh80,000 from Ombeta and Sh25,000 from a relative of the OCS? Have Ipoa commissioners and officers resulted in using the cellphone of the murder suspect to commit fraud?”
The lawyer said immediately after receiving the messages, Talaam filed a report at the Lang’ata Police Station and recorded a statement.
Central Police Station OCS Samson Talaam before the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on June 16, 2025.
Mr Ombeta urged the magistrate to summon Ipoa Commissioners and Jibril to appear in court to explain the incident and why they are soliciting money from members of the public, including Mr Ombeta, his lawyer.
But prosecuting counsel Victor Owiti and Ipoa’s lawyer Christine Owiti opposed the plea to summon Commissioners of the authority saying “they have nothing to do with investigations into the murder of Ojwang.”
Ms Owiti said, that immediately after Mr Ombeta raised the funds issue, she sent a text message to Jibril who replied that “the cellphone of Talaam is safely kept in a safe at Ipoa offices where it is being subjected to forensic examination.”
“Jibril has confirmed that Talaams cellphone was switched off when it was taken away from him and it is being kept safely at the IPOA offices where it will be subjected to forensic examination,” Ms Owiti.
The magistrate heard from the prosecuting counsel that IPOA officers cannot engage in such a fraudulent scheme.
Ipoa boss summoned
In a brief ruling, Mr Ekhubi summoned Mr Jibril to offer an explanation of how Talaam's cellphone was sending out requests for financial assistance.
Mr Ekhubi also directed others besides Ombeta who have not recorded statements at the Lang’ata Police Station over the money requests messages.
“Summons are hereby issued to Jibril to attend court on June 20, 2025, to explain the mysterious money request messages sent from the cellphone of Talaam in IPOAs possession,” Mr Ekhubi directed.
The magistrate had earlier dismissed an application by Talaam seeking to be admitted to bond while investigators plunge into investigations over the death of Ojwang.
Mr Ekhubi said if released on bond Talaam would interfere with investigations into the heinous murder of Ojwang given his position and that the majority of the witnesses would be junior officers who were working under him.
“Given that Talaam ordered that the CCTV camera be tampered with immediately after the death of Ojwang, this is a pointer that he will interfere with witnesses,” ruled Ekhubi.
The magistrate said the DPP has proven that Talaam will stifle the investigation and scare away the intended witnesses thus compromising justice.
Mr Ekhubi ordered the OCS to be detained for 15 days beginning June 16, 2025.
The magistrate took judicial notice of the demonstrations that were sparked by the murder of Ojwang while in police custody.
He said as a result of the killing, Ekhubi said country-wide demos were held leaving a trail of destruction and bloodshed with a hawker being grievously injured by police.
Mr Keyton who is representing police officer Moses Masinde Baraza who was arrested after the shooting of the hawker said he is detained at Capitol Hill and will be charged on June 19, 2025.
The magistrate directed Talaam to be returned to court on July 1, 2025, for further directions.
