Names of officers involved in Ojwang’s arrest, detention be made public - LSK tells Kanja

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has demanded the release of the names of police officers interdicted over the mysterious death of Albert Ojwang’, accusing the National Police Service (NPS) of shielding key suspects from public scrutiny.

Addressing the press on Monday, LSK President Faith Odhiambo urged Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, to disclose the identities of the officers who were interdicted following Ojwang’s death while in custody.

She also called for the disclosure of those involved in transporting him from Homa Bay to Central Police Station in Nairobi, where he was later found dead.

“Why has he not named the particular officers who have been interdicted? What is the need to hide? Let Kenyans know. We want to know who picked Ojwang’. Are they part of those who were interdicted? And also, we want to know the names of those interdicted,” Odhiambo said.

The LSK president said the details shared so far by the IG were “far from sufficient,” insisting that accountability must go beyond public relations gestures. “Without telling Kenyans in plain words who these individuals are, we will be treated to just PR for purposes of calming down the citizens.”

She described Ojwang’s treatment as a betrayal of justice and a symptom of deeper structural failings within the National Police Service.

“The treatment of Ojwang’ is a betrayal against him and against the people of Kenya. This cannot be wished away as an isolated incident because it is illustrative of deeper, systematic weaknesses within the NPS. Kenya has no room for extra-judicial killings and criminal conduct by the police,” Odhiambo said.

The society also questioned why Ojwang’, a blogger, was transported hundreds of kilometres to Nairobi after his arrest in Homa Bay, calling it a misuse of public resources and a deliberate act of intimidation.

Ojwang’ had been arrested following a defamation complaint by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Eliud Lagat.

LSK has now demanded the immediate recusal of Lagat from the ongoing investigations due to a conflict of interest and singled out Central Police Station as a “poster boy for police brutality,” with Kamukunji Police Station listed as another hotspot of abuse.

Meanwhile, protesters and activists gathered outside City Mortuary on Monday, demanding immediate action. Among them was Kenya School of Law President Joshua Okayo, who questioned the decision to drive Ojwang’ over 400 kilometres from Homa Bay to Nairobi for prosecution.

“Why was it necessary for Albert to be driven 400 kilometres away to be charged if there was an offence? Is it that there is no Magistrate Court in Homa Bay, or what was so necessary that he had to be charged in Nairobi?” Okayo posed.

The Police Reforms Working Group (PRWG) also called for a thorough and independent investigation into what they described as a state-sanctioned homicide.

“Now that the Inspector General, Douglas Kanja, has reportedly revealed Lagat was the complainant, PRWG demands that Lagat be investigated as to his role in the arrest that led to Ojwang’s death,” the group said, arguing that the alleged crime of false publication is a misdemeanour that did not warrant such extreme measures.

The group also cast doubt on the official account of suicide, pointing out that Ojwang’ was reportedly cooperative and had even called family and friends to raise bail.

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They revealed that attempts by Ojwang’s father, the family’s lawyer, LSK, and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to access the scene at Central Police Station were thwarted by the absence of senior officers.

“With the announcement of the interdiction of the Officer Commanding Station, Duty Officer, Cell Sentry and all officers on duty during this fateful night, IPOA and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) must exercise their mandates to immediately access and secure the crime scene and all evidence,” PRWG said.

PRWG said it was time to invite a United Nations fact-finding mission to investigate enforced disappearances, custodial deaths, and arbitrary arrests in Kenya.

“Without independent and external investigation, these practices shall remain a threat to Kenyan lives, the rule of law, national security and the public interest,” the group said.