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A second police officer has been arrested in connection with the death of a teacher who died while in custody in Nairobi, Kenya, a case that has sparked widespread public anger.
Albert Ojwang, aged 31, died last weekend after being detained for allegedly criticising a senior police officer online. His death has reignited national outrage over alleged police brutality and abductions, particularly during last year’s anti-government protests.
Police initially claimed that Ojwang had sustained fatal injuries by banging his head against a wall, but a postmortem examination conducted by a government pathologist concluded that his wounds were “unlikely to be self-inflicted.”
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) confirmed on Friday that Samson Talaam, the officer in charge of the Nairobi Central Police Station where Ojwang died, had been arrested, along with an unnamed civilian. A police official later confirmed Talaam’s arrest in the western city of Eldoret.
Earlier in the week, Constable James Mukhwana, also from the same station, was brought before the court. The IPOA, which is leading the inquiry, requested three weeks to finalise its investigation, noting that Mukhwana had been present when Ojwang was processed at the station.
In response to growing public anger, five officers involved in the case were suspended from active duty pending investigations, according to police spokesperson Michael Muchiri.
President William Ruto, speaking on Friday, promised swift and transparent action, assuring the public that his government would “protect citizens from rogue police officers.”
Ojwang’s death has reignited criticism of Kenya’s police force, with demonstrators marching to parliament on Thursday. Some demonstrators clashed with officers, throwing stones as police responded with tear gas.
Rights organisations have joined the calls for justice, demanding the resignation of Deputy Inspector-General Eliud Kipkoech Lagat, the officer Ojwang had reportedly criticised before his arrest.
According to the IPOA, 18 people have died in police custody in the past four months. Human rights groups have also accused the authorities of detaining critics of President Ruto’s administration without due process. Many of those held after last year’s demonstrations remain missing.
