A small group of friends and family on Sunday, June 29, 2025, held a candlelight vigil in Nairobi to commemorate the life and times of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang’, who was killed in police custody on June 7, 2025.
“All we are praying for is that Albert should get justice. No one deserves to die from police brutality. This is a democratic country,” one of the mourners said during the vigil.
Ojwang’ was picked by police officers from his father’s home in Kabondo-Kasipul in Homa Bay County and driven hundreds of kilometres to Nairobi, where he was later pronounced dead in the early hours of June 8, 2025.
Death at Central Police Station
His death sparked a massive public outrage after the National Police Service initially said that he had committed suicide by repeatedly hitting his head against the cell wall.
An autopsy later revealed that Ojwang’ was beaten to death, and that the injuries on his body were not consistent with suicide as claimed.
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The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has approved murder charges against three police officers and three other individuals implicated in the killing of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang.
In a statement released on June 23, the ODPP confirmed that following its directive to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate the matter, three officers were identified as being linked to Albert’s murder.
Individuals charged
“Following the directive, IPOA submitted the inquiry file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on 22nd June 2025 for perusal and legal guidance. Upon receipt, the DPP immediately constituted a team of senior prosecutors to undertake a comprehensive review of the file.” ODPP stated.
They include Nairobi Central Police Station interdicted OCS Samson Kiprotich Talaam, Constable James Mukhwana, who gave out a damning report to IPOA revealing how he was ordered to plan Ojwang’s beating, and Peter Kimani.
The others are John Ngigi Gitau, Brian Mwaniki Njue, and Gina Ammitou Abwao.
“Consequently, the DPP has approved murder charges against six individuals. The suspects include the following police officers: Samson Kiprotich Talaam, James Mukhwana, and Peter Kimani. The other suspects are John Ngige Gitau, Gin Ammitou Abwao, and Brian Mwaniki Njue,” ODPP’s statement added.
