A 34-year-old man, Albert Ojwang, arrested in Homa Bay, Kenya, for a social media post, has died in police custody in Nairobi, authorities confirmed Sunday. Ojwang’s death, which occurred shortly after his detention, has sparked outrage and calls for an independent investigation from human rights groups and his family.
Police claim Ojwang sustained fatal injuries after harming himself while in custody. However, Amnesty International Kenya has questioned the official account, citing inconsistencies and a lack of transparency.
“The circumstances surrounding Albert Ojwang’s death raise serious concerns about police conduct and accountability,” said an Amnesty spokesperson, urging a thorough probe.
Ojwang’s family, devastated by the loss, has rejected the police narrative, demanding answers. “Albert was healthy when he was taken. How did this happen so quickly?” said a relative, speaking on condition of anonymity.
They have called for an autopsy and an independent inquiry to establish the cause of death.
The incident has reignited debates over freedom of expression and police impunity in Kenya, with activists pointing to a pattern of alleged extrajudicial actions against individuals detained for online activity.
The authorities who are alleged to have murdered the Tweep have promised a full investigation but provided no further details on the case.
However, eyewitnesses who viewed the body of Albert Ochieng at the mortuary are painting a disturbing picture quite literally. According to multiple sources, his body bears clear signs of having been brutally beaten, with visible injuries consistent with blunt force trauma. There are also defensive wounds, strongly suggesting he fought back before dying.
What’s more concerning is that the condition of his body contradicts the official version of events given by both the OCPD and OCS earlier that morning. Police had claimed that Albert injured himself while in custody and later died while being rushed to Mbagathi Hospital.
