A police officer who was expected to testify in the case over the death of Albert Ojwang has died, adding a new development to the ongoing trial.
The officer, identified as Stephen Maina Nderitu, was attached to the Office of the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) at Nairobi Central Police Station when Ojwang died in police custody in June 2025.
Nderitu reportedly collapsed and died on Monday, shortly after leaving work.
According to information shared by people familiar with the case, a postmortem examination cited acute ulcers, cardiac arrest and depression among the causes of his death.
His death comes at a critical stage of the trial, as he was expected to appear in court and give evidence on issues surrounding Ojwang’s final hours at the police station.
Investigators had recorded Nderitu’s statement on May 18, which reportedly contained information considered relevant to the case.
He was also expected to shed light on the events involving the then OCS and the alleged tampering with the CCTV hard drive at the station.
The CCTV footage has become an important part of the case, with investigators seeking to establish what happened to Ojwang during the period he was in police custody.
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions has previously told the court that Ojwang was tortured and strangled while in custody. Prosecutors have also alleged that CCTV footage from the police station was deleted.
Nderitu’s death means the prosecution has lost a witness who was expected to provide evidence on some of the events surrounding Ojwang’s death.
The officer’s burial has been scheduled for Friday, September 18, according to information shared with his family.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) had lined up 28 witnesses in the trial following investigations into Albert Ojwang’s death.
Six other witnesses have also been placed under protective custody after prosecutors raised concerns that there was a risk of interference with the witnesses.
Ojwang, a teacher and social media user, died in June 2025 while being held at Nairobi Central Police Station, sparking public concern and investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The trial is continuing as the prosecution presents evidence from witnesses expected to help establish what happened to Ojwang while he was in police custody.
