Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja addresses journalists on June 9, 2025 at Central Police Station over the death of Albert Ojwang (inset) in police custody.
An attempt by the police to cover up how a teacher died in custody has unravelled after a post-mortem examination on Tuesday exposed that he was tortured to death.
The initial lie by the police that Mr Albert Ojwang’ hit his head on a cell wall - in an attempt to weave a narrative of suicide - collapsed spectacularly after pathologists found gruesome injuries “consistent with external assault.”
Ojwang had been arrested from his rural home in Homa Bay on Saturday, following a complaint against him by Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, locked up at Nairobi’s Central Police Station, only to be reported dead hours later.
National Police Service spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga on Sunday initially sought to explain the death of the teacher-cum-bogger, saying, “The suspect sustained head injuries after hitting his head against the cell wall.”
But the postmortem examination conducted at Nairobi Funeral Home indicated the cause of death was head injury and blunt trauma, with pathologists ruling out self-inflicted injuries.
Ojwang’s body bore multiple signs of physical abuse, including bruises on the torso, face, and limbs. His head was visibly deformed, and blood was seen oozing from his nose. The autopsy revealed he had signs of torture, with injuries that were not self-inflicted.
Speaking after the postmortem examination, lead pathologist Dr Bernard Midira said the team, which included five pathologists representing all parties, among them the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and civil society groups — had reached a consensus on the cause of death.
“We found serious injuries to the head, signs of neck compression, and multiple soft tissue injuries on the limbs,” said Dr Midira. “These injuries are consistent with external assault. There were also signs of a struggle.”
If indeed he died of “sustained head injuries after hitting his head against the cell wall,” as the police claimed, then, Dr Midira said, as an expert and having examined the body, the patterns of the bleeding would have pointed to the direction.
A well-crafted cover-up
“But the bleeds that we found on the scalp and on the skin of the head were partially spread on all aspects, including the face, the sides of the head and also the back of the head. When we tie up together with other injuries that are well spread in the body, including the upper limbs under the trunk, then this is unlikely to be self-inflicted injury,” he concluded.
Dr Midira added that while the exact timeline of the injuries was difficult to determine, they however occurred within a short span. “There was frontal bleeding in the brain, though the bleed was partially spread. This is unlikely to be self-inflicted,” Dr Midira said.
Ojwang’s father, Meshack, said the police had lied to him about the cause of his son’s death, exclaiming that, going by the findings of the autopsy and the injuries on the torso, it could have been a well-crafted cover-up.
“Kuhusiana ripoti ambayo nilipata kwa polisi, ni kwamba ilikuwa ya uongo kutokana na uchunguzi ya leo. Niliambiwa mtoto wangu alijigonga kwa ukuta,” a teary Meshack said, calling on President William Ruto to intervene.
“Help me as a taxpayer. They saw our home was humble and assumed we didn’t matter.”
And in a heart-wrenching plea, Ojwang’s father directly addressed the complainant, Mr Lagat.
“Eliud Lagat, were you the one who sent your people? What did he do to deserve this? Why was my child crucified?” he asked.
Meshack Ojwang (centre), the father of the late Albert Ojwang, speaks to the media at Nairobi Funeral Home on June 10, 2025 after autopsy on the body of his son.
The initial official report by the police indicated that Ojwang was lawfully arrested by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives for false publication and placed in custody.
But the identities of the four DCI detectives who seized him from his home at Kasipul Kabondo and drove with him to Nairobi where he was locked up at Central Police Station have not been revealed.
As of Tuesday, only six police officers stationed at Central police station had been interdicted. IPOA investigation is expected to shed light on when Ojwang was assaulted and by whom.
Records at the mortuary indicate that Ojwang was booked at the facility at 0244h and was brought in by police from central police station. The cause of death was indicated as sudden. Ojwang’s body was driven in a vehicle with a number plate GK764Y, according to the records. The officer who brought him is indicated as “CPC” of F/N 69276.
Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo described the injuries as consistent with torture, accusing the perpetrators of extrajudicial execution.
“This is a crime. Someone gave the order to pick him up from Homa Bay. Someone must be held accountable,” said Ms Odhiambo. “We will continue to pile pressure until every single officer involved is held personally liable. IPOA must act. We won’t accept more excuses.”
“We want all those officers held responsible. From the one who issued orders to the one who picked him up to the ones he was handed over to,” Ms Odhiambo added.
Family’s lawyer Vincent Vusugwa questioned how Ojwang’ allegedly removed his clothing, including his pullover, in a locked cell, as claimed in earlier police reports.
“Which is the OB number? Who was the investigating officer? Who ordered the detectives to travel all the way to Homa Bay to arrest Ojwang?” Mr Vusugwa wondered.
“This case raises more questions than answers,” Mr Vusugwa said. “The Deputy Inspector General is listed as the complainant. But where did he file the complaint, and who gave the orders?”
Ojwang’ was arrested on Saturday from his father’s home in Kasipul Kabondo, Homa Bay County, reportedly over a social media post deemed “derogatory” to Mr Lagat.
Less than 24 hours later, his lifeless body was lying at the Nairobi Funeral Home, bruised, bloodied, and swollen — hundreds of kilometres from where he was last seen alive by his family.
The death was recorded under OB number 09/8/06/2025, with officers claiming he was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
