Kenyan Blogger Dies in Police Custody, Officers Suspended

Africa News

Several Kenyan police officers have been suspended after a man died in custody under suspicious circumstances, prompting a national outcry and an independent investigation.

Albert Ojwang, a teacher and blogger, was arrested on Friday in the western town of Homa Bay following a complaint by Kenya’s deputy police chief, Eliud Lagat, who accused him of defamation on social media. Instead of being processed locally, Ojwang was transported over 350km (220 miles) to Nairobi, where he was held at a police station.

According to police, the 31-year-old allegedly suffered fatal head injuries after "hitting his head against a cell wall." He was later found unconscious during a routine cell inspection and declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital. However, human rights groups have cast serious doubt on this version of events.

“This death is very suspicious,” said Irungu Houghton, director of Amnesty International Kenya, who called for a “thorough, independent investigation” into Ojwang’s treatment while in custody. Amnesty also questioned the legality of transferring a detainee such a long distance without being booked in locally.

In response to the growing backlash, Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja confirmed that all officers on duty at the Nairobi station during Ojwang’s detention—including the station’s commanding officer—have been interdicted. They are barred from active duty and will receive half-pay pending the outcome of the inquiry.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which is leading the investigation, has pledged to deliver justice. “We will do everything to ensure accountability—not only for the family, but for all Kenyans,” said IPOA Chair Ahmed Isaack Hassan at a joint press conference with the police.

Ojwang was reportedly arrested on charges of “false publication” after allegedly insulting a senior government official on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Public anger over the incident is mounting online, with civil society groups and concerned citizens calling for protests and greater police accountability. A post-mortem examination was scheduled for Monday to determine the exact cause of death.

Ojwang’s death comes amid increasing scrutiny of how Kenyan authorities are handling dissent. Just last week, software developer Rose Njeri was charged under a cybercrime law after creating an app to mobilise opposition to a government finance bill.

Human rights groups say these incidents underscore a troubling trend in the government’s response to digital activism and freedom of expression.