Fresh testimony presented before the Kibera High Court on Wednesday has introduced new details in the murder trial of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang, as investigators continue to piece together the events that led to his death at Nairobi Central Police Station. The court heard that Police Constable James Mukhwana allegedly gave investigators a confession linking senior police officers to actions taken against Ojwang while he was in custody. The testimony was presented as proceedings entered their third day this week in a case that has drawn significant public attention across the country.
According to information presented to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Mukhwana claimed he received instructions through Central Police Station Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Samson Talaam. He alleged that Talaam informed him there was a directive from Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat to discipline Ojwang following his arrest over alleged defamatory social media posts.
Mukhwana further claimed that he was instructed to organize inmates to assault Ojwang so that he would sustain injuries that would require medical treatment.
He told investigators that he gave one inmate KSh 2,000 to distribute among other detainees before the attack was carried out inside the police cells.
According to his account, the assault became more severe than expected. He stated that Ojwang suffered serious injuries and was later moved to another cell after his condition worsened. Mukhwana claimed the teacher was bleeding, unable to walk, and eventually collapsed.
The testimony comes after investigators concluded that Ojwang died from severe blunt force injuries and strangulation.
The findings contradicted an earlier police account which suggested that he had injured himself by hitting his head against a wall.
The latest developments have intensified investigations into the case, with detectives examining whether there was a broader conspiracy surrounding Ojwang’s death and whether efforts were made to conceal key evidence. Investigators are also looking into claims that important station records, including entries in the Occurrence Book, may have gone missing.
So far, six suspects, among them Mukhwana and OCS Talaam, have been charged with murder.
Investigators have also accused a police technician of receiving KSh 3,000 to delete surveillance footage recorded at the station after the incident.
Deputy Inspector General Lagat has denied the allegations through his lawyers, describing the claims as baseless, defamatory, and unsupported by credible evidence.
With hearings continuing, the case remains under intense public scrutiny as Kenyans await further revelations and the court’s determination on the circumstances surrounding Albert Ojwang’s death.