NAIROBI, Kenya — The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has called for an independent and impartial investigation into the death of advocate Tom Ouya Imbukwa, who died after sustaining serious injuries in what has been described as a brutal assault.
In a statement issued on Thursday, LSK President Charles Kanjama said Imbukwa was initially found alive but in critical condition at Harambee SACCO Estate before being rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), where he later died while receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit.
The lawyers’ body raised concerns over the circumstances surrounding the incident, citing reports that the advocate had been living in fear for about two weeks prior to the attack after allegedly receiving threats from a police officer.
It is further alleged that before his condition worsened, he indicated that he had been assaulted by police officers and other individuals. The LSK emphasised that these claims remain subject to verification through formal investigations.
Preliminary observations suggest that Imbukwa sustained severe injuries reportedly consistent with torture, including allegations that his left eye had been gouged out.
Kanjama also highlighted inconsistencies in the case, noting that while the victim appeared to have suffered significant bleeding, officers at the National Police Service (NPS) Savannah Police Post reported no visible blood at the scene where he was found.
The discrepancy, he said, raises questions about whether the assault may have occurred elsewhere and whether critical details of the case may have been obscured.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Police Service have been urged to conduct thorough, transparent and impartial investigations into the incident.
The LSK linked Imbukwa’s death to wider concerns about the safety of legal practitioners in Kenya, noting that it follows the killing of lawyer Kyalo Mbobu in September 2025, a case in which accountability remains unresolved.
“Taken together, these incidents present an alarming picture regarding the safety of Advocates and the environment within which they are expected to discharge their professional and constitutional duties,” Kanjama noted.
“Against this backdrop, the legal profession is increasingly alarmed by the growing vulnerability of Advocates to violence, intimidation, and retaliation arising from the work that they do. Such acts pose a serious threat to the administration of justice.”
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The society said it would provide legal assistance to Imbukwa’s family, including assigning an advocate to support them throughout the investigative process.
It also confirmed that it is facilitating the appointment of an independent pathologist to participate in the postmortem examination, a move aimed at enhancing transparency and credibility.
Members of the public with relevant information have been urged to report to authorities or contact the society directly.
In honour of the deceased, Kanjama called on LSK members to wear purple ribbons throughout the week as a symbol of solidarity and a collective demand for justice.
