NAIROBI, Kenya — A man arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in connection with a social media post has died hours after being taken into custody.
Albert Ojwang was arrested on Saturday June 7, 2027 afternoon by police in Kakot, Homa Bay County.
Authorities stated they were investigating him over a “false publication” he allegedly made on the social media platform X.
He was subsequently transported to Nairobi and detained at the Central Police Station. However, when his family arrived at the police station on Sunday to inquire about his case, they were informed of his death.
“We awaited his arraignment in court on Monday so we can follow up the case from there. But today, his father who came to follow up after the arrest informed me his son was dead. It is quite unfortunate,” a lawyer representing the family told reporters outside the police station.
The family was reportedly informed by police that Albert’s body had been moved to the City Mortuary.
“One does not deserve to lose their life; there is the law and we expected the boy to be processed normally and charged then if found guilty, punished according to the law,” the lawyer added, expressing concern over the circumstances of Ojwang’s death.
Meshack Opiyo, Albert’s distraught father, recounted how his only child was arrested at their home while having lunch after returning from the farm.
“He was arrested and taken to Mawego police station, then later at night, he was transferred to Nairobi. The arresting police told me Albert had insulted a senior person on X,” Opiyo detailed.
Upon arriving in Nairobi on Sunday, Mr. Opiyo stated that officers at Central Police Station informed him his son had died in a hospital from self-inflicted injuries, reportedly after hitting himself against a wall.
Mr. Opiyo expressed skepticism regarding the police’s account and called for an immediate investigation.
A police report from Sunday, obtained by Vivid Voice News, indicates that the incident was filed at the Central Police Station as a suicide. The report states that an officer conducting a routine cell visit found Albert “with blood oozing from his head.”
“They immediately rushed the prisoner to Mbagathi Hospital for treatment where he was pronounced dead on arrival,” the report reads.
Police added that preliminary investigations suggest Albert, who was booked for the offense of false publication, sustained head injuries “by hitting his head severally against the wall inside the cell.”
In a press statement released on Sunday afternoon, the National Police Service confirmed that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched a probe into the matter.
Additionally, NPS reaffirmed its commitment to upholding constitutional standards of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Circumstances surrounding the death of Albert Ojwang in police custody have ignited a wave of public outrage and intensified calls for independent investigations into the incident.
Ojwang died mere hours after his arrest by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers over a social media post.
Alleged audio recordings captured after Ojwang’s arrest reveal a stark contrast to the official police account. In these recordings, the influencer reportedly sounded composed and self-aware, speaking calmly with his friends and requesting them to visit him at the Central Police Station in Nairobi, where he was being held.
Crucially, the audio provides no indication of distress or suicidal ideation on Ojwang’s part.
In response to these developments, civil society organizations and digital rights advocates are now collectively demanding access to CCTV footage from the station, a comprehensive post-mortem report, and full transparency from the police force.
As the hashtag #JusticeforOjwang continues to trend widely on X (formerly Twitter), significant questions are emerging regarding the accountability of law enforcement agencies in Kenya and the veracity of initial police reports.
