A man identified as Albert Ojwang has died under controversial circumstances just hours after being arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Homa Bay County.
Albert was reportedly apprehended on Saturday afternoon at his family home in Kakot while having lunch.
The arrest was linked to an alleged offensive post he made on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), allegedly targeting a senior individual.
After his arrest, he was briefly held at Mawego Police Station before being transferred overnight to Nairobi, where he was detained at Central Police Station. When his family visited the station on Sunday, they were informed that he had died.
Speaking outside the station, the family’s lawyer expressed shock and disappointment, saying they had expected due legal process, not a fatal outcome. “He should have been arraigned in court and charged if found culpable. Taking his life away is unjust,” the lawyer stated.
Albert’s father, Meshack Opiyo, was devastated as he recalled how officers claimed his son died after repeatedly hitting his head against a wall inside the cell. He questioned the police narrative and demanded an independent investigation into the incident.
According to a police report seen by Citizen Digital, the case has been recorded as a suicide. The report states that Ojwang was found with head injuries during a routine check and was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
The National Police Service has since confirmed that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched an investigation to determine the cause and circumstances of Albert Ojwang’s death.
The tragic incident has raised concerns over police conduct and human rights violations in handling suspects, especially those accused of online speech-related offenses.
