IAU summons SCU detectives over Albert Ojwang’s arrest and transfer from Homabay to Nairobi

Albert Omondi Ojwang who died while in custody at Central Police Station in Nairobi. (Photo: Courtesy)

By Mary Wambui
Wednesday, June 18, 2025

The officers are required to appear before IAU director at the IAU headquarters, situated at KCB Towers in Upper Hill, to explain their role in the arrest and subsequent detention of Ojwang.

Serious Crime Unit (SCU) officers who picked up Albert Ojwang from his Homabay home and transferred him to Central Police Station, Nairobi, have been summoned to appear before Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) detectives to shed light on the blogger’s murder.

Led by Senior Sergeant Sigei, the SCU officers are required to appear before IAU director on Wednesday, June 18, at the IAU headquarters, situated at KCB Towers in Upper Hill, to explain their role in the arrest and subsequent detention of Ojwang.

More To Read

They are also needed to explain why they preferred the Central Police Station as the holding facility for the decision, and not Muthaiga, where officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters usually detain their suspects.

The involvement of the detectives in the arrest of Ojwang is adversely mentioned by Police Constable James Mukwana, who, in a revised statement to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), revealed that his Officer Commanding Station (OCS) informed him that a suspect would be brought in by officers drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters.

"The OCS was on his seat, he then called me "Mukhwana", I responded "Yes Sir", he then asked "umefanya kazi muda gani hapo kwa ofisi? I told him "muda mrefu kama miaka mbili na." He then said, "Kuna directive kutoka kwa DIG Lagat, unamjua? I replied yes, then said kuna officers wa DCI headquarters wanaleta mtu kama saa mbili hivi watakua wamefika," the statement reads in part.

Later on, he confessed that a black Subaru vehicle arrived at the station and stopped at the entrance. He suspected it was them, and moments later, they alighted from the car with a person in handcuffs.

Hours later, the suspect was confirmed to be unconscious via a call that came to him from a colleague identified only as Constable Lydia.

The IAU summons to DCI officers comes at a time when the unit carried out the arrest of most police officers from Central Police Station implicated in the murder of Ojwang while under their custody.

The latest to be arrested was Inspector Ngang'a, who ferried Ojwang’s body, first to Mbagathi Hospital, then to City Mortuary, and Constable Kimani, the cell sentry who took over from Constable Mukhwana in the wee hours.

On Thursday last week, the Inspector General of the National Police Service, Douglas Kanja, directed the unit to commence its inquiry into alleged police misconduct in the case and subsequent allegations that officers at Central police station interfered with CCTV cameras to cover up the murder.

They were also to establish what happened after Ojwang's controversial arrest and subsequent detention at Central police station, and the role played by DCI officers involved, the Officer Commanding Central Police Station, and his team.

The Unit will also inquire into the conduct of senior police officers, who allegedly gave misleading information that the late Ojwang committed suicide while in police custody, hence causing embarrassment to the IG and the entire NPS, forcing him to apologise to Kenyans.

IAU is remembered for arresting and charging former DCI SSU officers who were accused of the murder of two Indians and a Kenyan Taxi driver in the run-up to the last general election.