Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration, Raymond Omollo, has broken his silence in a forceful and emotional statement following the brutal killing of Albert Ojwang’, a young teacher whose death has sparked national outrage and renewed scrutiny of police accountability in the country.
In a post on X on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, Omollo condemned the incident in the strongest terms yet by a government official.
“For the people of Kenya and the State Department for Internal Security, there is only one position on the tragic death of Mr. Albert Ojwang’, a young, hopeful father, husband, teacher and son; it should never have happened,” Omollo wrote.
The PS’s rare display of emotion signals growing pressure within government ranks as protests and calls for justice intensify.
Ojwang’s death, at the hands of law enforcement, has become a flashpoint in the long-standing battle against police brutality in Kenya.
“Those responsible, whether by action or inaction, will be held fully accountable under the law,” Omollo declared.
The interior PS offered heartfelt condolences to the family of the late teacher, whose life, he emphasised, represented hope and promise cut short.
“No words can truly console Mr. Ojwang’s father, Mama Eucabeth Ojwang’, his wife Mrs. Nevnine Onyango, or the grieving family. Their pain is unimaginable, and their loss, immeasurable.”
Describing the killing as a national tragedy, the Principal Secretary urged for urgent reforms in policing and accountability frameworks.
“This heartbreaking incident is a sobering call to all of us. It demands that we urgently reinforce our policies, oversight and standards of conduct in policing,” he stated.
Omollo concluded his message with a powerful call to action — a vision for a reformed police service that upholds human dignity and the sanctity of life.
“We must build a police service grounded in justice, dignity and the sanctity of life, so that never again shall we find ourselves mourning such avoidable loss as a nation.”
Ojwang’s death has become emblematic of what many human rights defenders describe as a pattern of impunity within Kenya’s police ranks.
Central OCS
While investigations are underway, public trust remains fragile, and advocacy groups are demanding swift justice and lasting institutional change.
The upper echelons of law enforcement appear to be throwing their junior counterparts under the bus, with the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohammed Amin, telling the Senate that the Central Police Station commander, Samson Talaam, should be treated as a prime suspect in the murder of Albert Ojwang.
On Monday, June 9, 2025, the OCS for Central Police Station Samson Talaam was interdicted alongside his deputy, Samuel Nganga, Charles Muriuki, Debian Lusweti, Evaline Kanyiri and Peter Kimani, who was the supervisor of the cells during the incident.
Postmortem results on June 10, 2025, indicated that Ojwang died from injuries to his head, neck and limbs, which were consistent with assault.
Responding to questions from senators on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, Amin revealed that DCI officers handed over Albert safely to police officers at the Central Police Station, before later learning that the 31-year-old teacher had been killed, insisting that Talaam is the prime suspect.
Eliud Lagat
However, many fingers are still pointed at Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service (DIG KPS) Eliud Lagat.
While speaking on Ojwang’s death on Monday, June 9, 2025, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja revealed that the blogger’s arrest, along with others, was triggered by a formal complaint from Lagat, who claimed his reputation was being tarnished by Ojwang’s social media posts.
“The reasons why the late Ojwang was arrested together with others is because there was a complaint that had been lodged by the DIG KPS about his name being tarnished,” Kanja stated.
Leaders of the coalition of opposition parties have since called for the arrest and arraignment in court of Lagat in connection with the brutal murder of Albert Ojwang’ while in police custody.
In a joint statement in Nairobi on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, the leaders demanded that Lagat be arrested, noting that he was the complainant in the case which led to the death of Ojwang.
“The postmortem of Albert is clear, and all Kenyans have formed the opinion that he was murdered. In light of the foregoing, we are calling not just for the resignation but for the arrest and the arraignment in court of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police Eliud Lagat within 24 hours of the issuance of this statement,” Democratic Party (DP) leader Justin Muturi stated.
As outrage continues to mount, Omollo’s statement marks a significant shift — one that could shape the government’s next steps in confronting one of the most pressing human rights challenges facing the country today.
Martin Oduor
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