Azimio leader Raila Odinga has strongly condemned the death of Albert Ojwang, a young Kenyan man who died in police custody under controversial circumstances, after allegedly being arrested over a social media post targeting the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Eliud Lagat.
In a statement issued from Bangkok, where Odinga is currently on an official visit, he described the reports surrounding Ojwang’s death as horrifying and deeply disturbing.
“I have been deeply horrified by reports of a young Kenyan, Albert Ojwang, who was picked from Homa Bay and driven to his death in police cells in Nairobi, over an alleged offensive social media post about a senior police officer,” Odinga said.
The 29-year-old Albert was arrested in Kakot village, Homa Bay County, on Friday, June 7, 2025, and transferred to Nairobi’s Central Police Station. Authorities allege that he had published defamatory remarks against DIG Eliud Lagat. However, the circumstances surrounding his arrest, transfer, and subsequent death remain murky and have sparked widespread outrage.
According to police reports, Ojwang was booked at the station at 9:35 p.m. on Saturday and was discovered unconscious in his cell hours later, at approximately 3:45 a.m. on Sunday. He was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The police claimed he had banged his head against the wall, a claim that has been met with public skepticism and demands for transparency.
“So far, nobody knows who gave the orders for Mr Ojwang to be arrested and ferried all the way to Nairobi and yet that person should be answering to Kenyans,” Odinga stated. He added that the young man “now joins the horrifying long list of young and defenceless Kenyans whose lives have been taken too soon, in brutal and senseless circumstances, at the hands of the police.”
Odinga further warned that unchecked police brutality not only causes irreparable harm to families but also undermines the very credibility of state institutions. “When citizens can no longer tell the difference between the two forms of injustice — police injustice and mob injustice — we are staring at the reality failure as a nation.”
Ojwang’s death has triggered demonstrations and sharp criticism from human rights groups and civil society organisations. Amnesty International Kenya has called for swift investigations and the prosecution of any officers found culpable. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has since opened an investigation and recovered crucial evidence from the police station, including blood-stained clothes and CCTV footage. Officers who were on duty during the incident have reportedly been interdicted pending the outcome of the probe.
Odinga, has therefore, declared a speedy and credible closure to the incident, urging the National Police Service to take concrete steps to hold those responsible accountable.
Ojwang’s death has added to the growing number of deaths in police custody in Kenya, raising urgent questions about the abuse of power and the lack of oversight within the security sector. His family and the public await the results of a postmortem and the IPOA’s final report, which may shape the next steps in the pursuit of justice for a young man whose life was cut short in state custody.
