Saboti MP Caleb Amisi has called for an international investigation into the Kenyan police following the death of Albert Ojwang, a social media influencer, while in police custody.
Taking to his X account on Tuesday, June 10, Amisi said there was an urgent need for a global inquiry into what he described as a rogue police unit that targets and eliminates young Kenyans.
He argued that the country is witnessing a dangerous trend where young individuals are arrested and die under suspicious circumstances within a short period, often less than 24 hours after being detained.
“We need a special international commission to investigate a special force that exists in the country to only arrest and immediately kill young Kenyans within 24 hours. We can’t take it anymore as a country,” he stated.
The MP had earlier raised concerns about the increasing number of deaths in police custody. He linked Ojwang’s death to a broader crisis involving mysterious disappearances, economic hardship, and a failing healthcare system.
“Are there solitary confinement cells at our police stations where arrested individuals die lonely without eyewitnesses? There are too many Kenyans shedding tears day in and day out. Whether it’s losing children mysteriously to the police, abductions, economic hardships, or disease,” Amisi stated.
Ojwang’s death
Ojwang died on Sunday, June 8, 2025, just a day after he was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). He had been picked up from his home in Kakot village, Homa Bay County, over a social media post made on X. His death has since sparked widespread public outrage and demands for accountability.
His father, Meshack Opiyo, said police accused him of insulting a senior government official online. After being detained briefly at Mawego Police Station, he was transferred overnight to Nairobi’s Central Police Station.
The family said they were awaiting his arraignment in court on Monday, but on Sunday, June 8, they were informed that Ojwang had died.
“We awaited his arraignment in court on Monday, so we could follow up on the case from there. But his father, who came to follow up after the arrest, informed me that his son was dead. It is quite unfortunate,” a family lawyer told reporters outside the police station.
Police claimed Ojwang died from self-inflicted injuries after allegedly hitting himself against a wall. However, his father expressed deep doubt over that account.
“He was arrested while having lunch with us after returning from the farm. They said he had insulted a senior person on X. Later, they transferred him to Nairobi, and now they are telling me he died from self-inflicted injuries. I don’t believe it. I want the truth,” Opiyo stated.
A postmortem conducted on Tuesday, June 10, at the Nairobi Funeral Home raised serious concerns about the police’s explanation. Forensic pathologist Dr. Bernard Midia led the autopsy, which was witnessed by a family representative, Mutuma Zambezi. The results showed Ojwang had suffered extensive injuries.
The report revealed head injuries, neck compression, and widespread soft tissue damage. There were also bruises on the torso and upper limbs, along with defensive wounds on his hands, signs he had tried to protect himself from physical assault.
“The bleeds were spaced across the scalp, face, and back of the head, not consistent with hitting a wall,” Midia explained.
