Lawyer Willis Otieno has called out investigative agencies for what he termed a clear display of double standards in the handling of justice for slain blogger Albert Ojwang and murdered Member of Parliament (MP) Ong’ondo Were.
In a strongly worded post on X on Saturday, June 14, 2025, Otieno questioned the glaring discrepancies in how the two cases have unfolded, raising concerns about selective justice and the protection of state officers in politically sensitive deaths.
Otieno questioned the swift action taken by police in the Were case versus the apparent delays and contradictions surrounding Ojwang’s.
“Why were CCTV cameras suddenly operational and readily available in the case of Hon Ong’ondo Were yet conveniently missing when it came to Albert Ojwang?” he asked.
He also condemned the sluggish progress in the Ojwang investigation. “Why did the DCI act with lightning speed in Were’s case, identifying, arresting, and arraigning suspects within hours, but in Albert’s case, all we’ve seen is silence, contradiction, and cover-up?” Otieno asked.
He suggested justice in Kenya was reserved for the powerful. “Are some lives worth more than others? Or is it that justice in Kenya is only swift when the victim holds office?” he posed, warning that “the day of reckoning draws nigh, and there shall be no escape.”
Officer arraigned
Otieno’s remarks came a day after Police Constable James Mukhwana, who was on duty the night Ojwang died, was arraigned in court. Mukhwana is being held as IPOA seeks a 21-day detention order while it finalizes investigations into the murder.
The teacher and blogger died at Central Police Station on June 8, a day after being arrested over a social media post. His case has sparked protests and national outrage over police brutality and growing fears of online dissent being criminalized.
IPOA denies cover-up
IPOA Chairperson Isaack Hassan has rejected claims that the agency is dragging its feet, telling Parliament on Thursday, June 12, that the probe is nearing completion and no officer will be shielded.
The agency has not ruled out questioning DIG Lagat, who filed the complaint against Ojwang.
“Everyone from the arresting officer in Homa Bay to the one who took him to the mortuary is a suspect,” Hassan said.
