The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has raised serious concerns over a disturbing increase in deaths occurring in police custody, revealing that at least 20 people have died while held by police in the past four months.
IPOA Chairperson Issack Hassan disclosed the figures on Thursday during a session with the National Assembly Committee on Security, where he provided updates on the ongoing investigation into the death of Albert Ojwang, a prominent blogger and teacher who died under mysterious circumstances at Nairobi’s Central Police Station last weekend.
Speaking before lawmakers, Hassan said, “We have had 20 deaths in police custody in the last four months.”
Preliminary findings from IPOA’s investigation into Ojwang’s death indicate that he was subjected to torture and killed while in police custody, contradicting police claims that Ojwang died from injuries sustained after hitting his head repeatedly against the cell wall.
Hassan dismissed the police’s explanation as a “poor cover-up attempt” and revealed that CCTV footage from the police station had been tampered with. “The man was tortured and killed,” he stated firmly.
While IPOA does not hold prosecutorial powers, Hassan confirmed that all officers involved in Ojwang’s arrest and detention are being treated as suspects in the murder investigation. This includes officers who arrested Ojwang in Homa Bay, those who detained him in Nairobi, and those who handled his body after death.
So far, IPOA has interviewed 17 police officers and six witnesses as part of the inquiry.
“We are not going to be used as a fire extinguisher for police or enable this cover-up,” Hassan asserted. He called on police officers to cooperate fully with the investigation, warning that every officer involved is under scrutiny.
The investigation is nearing completion, with plans to summon additional witnesses, including an individual named Lagat, to record statements.
Hassan acknowledged challenges such as a potential “blue code” of silence among officers but expressed confidence in IPOA’s capacity to uncover the truth. “We have other means,” he said.
The rise in deaths in police custody and the circumstances surrounding Albert Ojwang’s death have renewed calls for greater transparency and accountability within the police service.
About the Author
