Ten days after the tragic death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang’ while under police custody, his family says they will not lay him to rest until justice is served.
“Tarehe haijabainika. Japo tunasubiri kama familia tujue ya kwamba mambo yako namna gani Nairobi kutokana na ile mipangilio inaendelea kulingana na maneno ya uchunguzi. Sasa tulikua tumeipatia nafasi ili iendelee hadi itakapo bainika wazi ya kwamba tumeruhusiwa kuendelea na mipangilio ya mazishi,” the family’s spokesperson, Herman Ouko, said.
Ojwang’ died hours after he was arrested for allegedly publishing a defamatory statement on X about Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat.
Ouko, says the family’s pain has deepened following the current events, including the stepping aside of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Eliud Lagat.
“Kusema ya kwamba amejiuzulu, si swala la familia kusherehekea na si swala la familia kuzungumzia kwa sababu mambo yote yapo kwa mikono ya serikali,” he said.
The family insists that accountability is what will bring them closure, and they are willing to wait however long it takes until those responsible are brought to book.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) arrested several suspects linked to the case, including OCS Samson Talam and Police Constable James Mukhwana.
Constable Mukhwana recorded a statement, giving an account of the events that led to Albert Ojwang’s death.
In his statement, Mukhwana says he was given instructions by OCS Samson Talam to “discipline” Ojwang’, claiming the orders originally came from Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat.
However, the beating escalated, and he and another officer, PC Kimani, rushed to put an end to the torture finding Ojwang’ leaning against the wall, bleeding.
He says he asked the deputy OCS Samuel Ng’ang’a to take Ojwang’ to the hospital immediately at around 10 pm, when he left for home.
The following day, Sunday, June 8, Mukhwana was informed of the death of Ojwang’ by his colleagues via phone calls, and upon telling the OCS, he brushed it off, saying things were not as bad.
