Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has raised sharp questions over the unexplained death of 22-year-old Albert Ojwang in police custody, intensifying national scrutiny on law enforcement practices and the opaque circumstances surrounding the lad’s arrest and subsequent demise.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, June 9, 2025, via social media platform X, the Embakasi East MP demanded accountability from the National Police Service and called for urgent, independent investigations into what he termed “a brutal and unacceptable killing.”
“The Kenyan Constitution and our Criminal Justice System have a framework for dealing with any offence. There is no offence in Kenya punishable by extrajudicial killing as we keep witnessing from state security institutions. The police are the providers of security to Kenyans and should not be condoned as the biggest source of insecurity and danger to young people,” Babu wrote.
Ojwang was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on June 7, 2025, in Kakot, Homa Bay County, before being transported to Nairobi’s Central Police Station—more than 400 kilometres away.
He was later found dead in his cell the following morning. Police claimed he sustained fatal head injuries after hitting himself against a wall.
The explanation has been widely disputed by the public and now by prominent political leaders, including Babu Owino, who publicly posed five-pointed questions to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, demanding clarity and justice.
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5 questions from Babu Owino
1. What was Ojwang’s crime?
“What specific publication did Albert Ojwang make, and what criminal offence did it amount to?” Babu Owino asked, suggesting the arrest may have stemmed from an online post.
2. Why the long transfer?
The Embakasi East legislator questioned the decision to move Ojwang over 400 kilometres from Homa Bay to Nairobi, despite the availability of local police stations and courts.
“Homa Bay has police stations and courts with competent jurisdiction. Why was it necessary to transport Albert Ojwang more than 400 km away from his home after arrest?” Babu posed.
3. What injuries led to his death?
Babu Owino demanded to know the exact nature of the alleged self-inflicted injuries and whether any fellow inmates witnessed the incident.
“What nature of injury did Albert Ojwang inflict on himself that led to his death? Are there fellow inmates who witnessed these self-inflicted injuries?”
4. Who will oversee the postmortem?
Stressing the need for transparency, Babu Owino called for the presence of an impartial pathologist during an independent autopsy to determine the actual cause of death.
“We want an impartial pathologist to witness an independent post-mortem procedure to reveal what manner of injuries caused the death of this young man,” he wrote.
5. Who will investigate the officers?
Lastly, Babu demanded that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) immediately begin a comprehensive probe into the actions of the DCI officers and commanding officers at both Mawego and Nairobi Central Police Stations.
“In the meantime, we want IPOA to move in quickly with a robust investigation on the DCI Officers and the OCPD and OCS of both Mawego (Homa Bay) and Nairobi Central Police Stations on the circumstances of arrest and death of Albert Ojwang,” he said.
Call for nationwide response
Babu Owino’s intervention adds to the growing chorus of voices calling for accountability in a case that has struck a national nerve.
Human rights activists and members of civil society have taken to social media under the hashtag #JusticeForAlbertOjwang, amplifying the demands for answers.
While acknowledging that a vast majority of Kenyan police officers are doing the right job, Babu Owino emphasised that “we cannot allow a few rogues to misuse national security instruments to terrorize innocent citizens.”
His statement concluded with a broader appeal to national leadership:
“I ask leaders to lead Kenyans in demanding justice for Albert Ojwang, and I will be adding a strong voice in all ways possible to this quest for justice.”
Official response and ongoing investigations
Inspector General Douglas Kanja has since interdicted several officers linked to Ojwang’s detention and announced that IPOA will lead the inquiry into the death.
Among those interdicted are the Officer Commanding Station (OCS), duty officers, and cell supervisors on the night of Ojwang’s death.
Ojwang’s body remains at Nairobi Funeral Home pending a postmortem. His family has requested an independent pathologist and full transparency in the investigation process.
As public pressure builds, the Ojwang case is fast becoming a critical test of the country’s criminal justice system and of whether it can deliver answers when young lives are lost under the shadow of state power.
Martin Oduor
The alchemist of literary works – a master wordsmith with a proven record of transforming the raw materials of language into a rich tapestry of emotion, thought, and imagination.
