The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has named five police officers involved in the controversial arrest of blogger Albert Ojwang, as investigations into his suspicious death in custody continue to unfold.
Speaking before the Senate on Wednesday, IPOA Vice Chairperson Anne Wanjiku confirmed that Sergeants Sigei and Wesley Korir, along with Constables Dennis Kinyoni, Milton Mwanze, and Boniface Rapudo, participated in Ojwang’s arrest on June 7 at his home in Homa Bay County.
The officers initially held Ojwang at Mawego Police Station before transferring him to Nairobi, where he was later detained at Central Police Station.
Ojwang, a digital content creator and social media commentator, had been under investigation for allegedly publishing defamatory content on platform X (formerly Twitter).
According to IPOA, the case originated from a formal complaint by Deputy Inspector General Langat, who claimed he had been targeted online by the account @pixelpioneer.
The DCI’s Serious Crimes Unit took over the investigation, leading to the arrest of Kelvin Muinde in Bomachoge following forensic digital tracing. Muinde was subsequently transferred to Kamukunji Police Station in Nairobi.
Following Muinde’s interrogation, IPOA reports that Ojwang was identified as a second person of interest. On June 7, six officers traveled to Homa Bay and arrested Ojwang at approximately 2:00 p.m. He was booked at Mawego Police Station and later transported to Nairobi, arriving at Central Police Station at around 9:00 p.m.
Later that night, Ojwang reportedly sustained serious injuries after allegedly striking his head against the wall of his cell, according to police accounts. He was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
However, preliminary post-mortem results contradict the official police version.
The autopsy revealed that Ojwang died from blunt-force trauma to the head and compression injuries to the neck—injuries that suggest he was subjected to external assault rather than self-inflicted harm.
IPOA has vowed to continue its investigation into the officers’ conduct and the events leading up to Ojwang’s death.
