Latest news with #EliudLagat
Reuters
17 hours ago
- Reuters
Senior Kenyan policeman arrested over death of blogger in custody
NAIROBI, June 13 (Reuters) - Kenyan authorities arrested a senior policeman on Friday in connection with the death of a blogger in police custody last week, the police watchdog said, in a case that has sparked violent protests and shone a spotlight on police misconduct. The police apologised after initially claiming Albert Ojwang died by suicide in a cell in Nairobi's Central Police Station on Sunday, two days after his arrest. An independent autopsy pointed to assault as a more likely cause of death. The policeman in charge of Central Police Station was arrested on Friday, along with a closed-circuit television (CCTV) technician called to dismantle the CCTV at the station, said Samati Kemboi, commissioner of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), the police watchdog. The CCTV system at the station had been interfered with, and records "changed and formatted" in the early hours of Sunday, according to a report by IPOA, which is conducting an investigation. The 31-year-old's case has drawn close scrutiny of the country's security services, which have been accused of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances for many years, a source of mounting outrage for many Kenyans. Hundreds of protesters angered by his death demonstrated in Nairobi on Thursday. Vehicles were set ablaze and police fired teargas to disperse crowds, who called for the country's Deputy Police Chief Eliud Lagat to resign. On June 4, Lagat filed an official complaint that an X account reportedly associated with Ojwang had published "continuous false and malicious publications" about him, the IPOA report said.
BBC News
20 hours ago
- BBC News
Albert Ojwang's death: Kenyan constable James Mukhwana in court in connection with killing
A Kenyan police officer has appeared in court after being arrested in connection with the killing of a young blogger in police custody. Albert Ojwang's death sparked protests in the capital, Nairobi, after doctors refuted a police claim that he had died from self-inflicted injuries caused by hitting his head on a cell wall. Instead they concluded that it was likely the result of an least 23 people, including 17 police officers, have been questioned and five others removed from active duty while an independent investigation takes place. After his initial court appearance, PC James Mukhwana will remain in custody until his bail hearing an a week's investigations allege that the constable, together with other suspects still at large, "was likely involved in the planning and execution" of Mr Ojwang's killing, court papers submitted by detectives said. PC Mukhwana officer is also alleged to have been involved in tampering with CCTV cameras at Nairobi's Central Police Station in an attempt to cover-up the killing. The policeman is yet to respond to the accusations but his lawyer asked the court to grant him bail saying the constable willingly submitted himself to the authorities when summoned. Mr Ojwang, 31, died in police custody last weekend after he was arrested over a post on X that was allegedly critical of Deputy Inspector-General of Police Eliud an initial statement, police said Mr Ojwang was found unconscious in his cell and rushed him to a city hospital, where he succumbed to head injuries allegedly sustained from banging his head against the an autopsy report and an investigation by the police watchdog, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), ruled out the possibility that Mr Ojwang might have killed of Police Douglas Kanja has since retracted the earlier statement and apologised for what he called "misinformation" from his on Friday arrested a technician who is suspected to have disabled the surveillance system in Central Police Station, effectively obscuring potential evidence on Mr Ojwang's killing, local media reported. On Thursday, hundreds of protesters angered by the killing took to the streets of Nairobi calling for the resignation of Deputy Inspector-General is facing mounting pressure from the public, opposition leaders and civil society groups to step aside or be William Ruto has called for a swift investigation, and promised on Friday that his government would "protect citizens from rogue police officers".Ruto had pledged to end Kenya's history of police brutality and extrajudicial deaths when he came into power in nearly 160 cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances were reported across Kenya last year, according to the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC).At least 20 people have died while held by police in the past four months alone, according to the IPOA. You may also be interested in: BBC identifies security forces who shot Kenya anti-tax protestersBatons, tear gas, live fire - Kenyans face police brutalityWhy Kenya's president has so many nicknamesThe 'tax collector' president sparking Kenyan anger Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Al Jazeera
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Kenya police officer arrested over blogger's death in custody
A Kenyan police officer has been arrested in connection with the death of Albert Ojwang, a political blogger who died in police custody, in a case that has reignited anger over police abuse and triggered street protests in Nairobi. Police spokesperson Michael Muchiri said on Friday that a constable had been taken into custody, the AFP news agency reported. He did not give further information, referring queries to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which is leading the investigation. There was no immediate comment from the IPOA. Ojwang, 31, was declared dead on Sunday, two days after his arrest in the town of Homa Bay in western Kenya for allegedly criticising the country's deputy police chief Eliud Lagat. The police initially claimed Ojwang fatally injured himself by banging his head against a cell wall, but an autopsy revealed injuries that pathologists said were 'unlikely to be self-inflicted'. The government's own pathologist found signs of blunt force trauma, neck compression and soft tissue injuries, suggesting an assault. Independent pathologist Bernard Midia, who assisted with the post-mortem, also ruled out suicide. Amid growing pressure, President William Ruto on Wednesday said Ojwang had died 'at the hands of the police', reversing earlier official accounts of his death. The incident has added fuel to longstanding allegations of police brutality and extrajudicial killings in Kenya, particularly following last year's antigovernment demonstrations. Rights groups say dozens were unlawfully detained after the protests, with some still unaccounted for. Earlier this week, five officers were suspended to allow for what the police described as a 'transparent' inquiry. On Thursday, protesters flooded the streets of the capital, waving Kenyan flags and chanting 'Lagat must go', demanding the resignation of the senior police official Ojwang had criticised. Ruto on Friday pledged swift action and said that his administration would 'protect citizens from rogue police officers'. While Ruto has repeatedly promised to end enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, human rights groups accuse his government of shielding security agencies from accountability. According to IPOA, 20 people have died in police custody in just the past four months. The death of Ojwang, a vocal online critic, has become a symbol of growing public frustration with unchecked police power. International pressure is mounting, with both the United States and European Union calling for a transparent and independent investigation into Ojwang's death.
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Police fire tear gas on crowds protesting Kenya blogger's death in custody
Protesters took to the streets of Kenya's capital Nairobi to express their fury over the death of a blogger arrested by police last week, as the country's police watchdog reported that 20 people had died in custody over the last four months. Police used tear gas to disperse crowds gathered close to the capital's parliamentary building on Thursday to protest against the death of Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old blogger arrested in the western town of Homa Bay last week for criticising the country's deputy police chief Eliud Lagat. Police had initially said Ojwang died 'after hitting his head against a cell wall', but pathologist Bernard Midia, part of a team that conducted an autopsy, said the wounds – including a head injury, neck compression and soft tissue damage – pointed to assault as the cause of death. On Wednesday, President William Ruto admitted Ojwang had died 'at the hands of the police', reversing earlier official accounts of his death, saying in a statement that it was 'heartbreaking and unacceptable'. Kenyan media outlets reported on Thursday that a police constable had been arrested over Ojwang's death. Reporting from the protests in Nairobi, Al Jazeera's Malcolm Webb said that Ojwang, who wrote about political and social issues, had posted online about Lagat's alleged role in a 'bribery scandal', in which the deputy police chief had already been implicated by a newspaper investigation. 'It's angered people that he was detained for that, and then days later, dead in a police station,' said Webb, who added that people were calling for Lagat to be held to account, and 'persisting in throwing stones at the police in spite of one volley of tear gas after the next being fired at them'. The case has shone a light on the country's security services, who have been accused of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances for years. On Thursday, Independent Policing Oversight Authority chairperson Issak Hassan told lawmakers that there had been '20 deaths in police custody in the last four months'. The authorities are now conducting an official investigation into Ojwang's death. On Wednesday, Inspector General Douglas Kanja apologised for police having previously implied that Ojwang died by suicide, telling a Senate hearing: 'He did not hit his head against the wall.' Ojwang's death comes almost a year after several activists and protesters were killed and taken by police during finance bill protests – many are still missing. The rallies led to calls for the removal of Ruto, who was criticised for the crackdown. Amnesty International said Ojwang's death in custody on Saturday 'must be urgently, thoroughly and independently investigated'.
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Albert Ojwang's autopsy shows the Kenyan blogger was hit and assaulted to death
A Kenyan blogger who died in police custody was hit on the head and his death was likely to have been caused by assault, a post-mortem has revealed. This contradicts police claims that Albert Ojwang "sustained head injuries after hitting his head against a cell wall".His death has sparked widespread outrage in Kenya, with rights groups demanding that police be held accountable. Mr Ojwang, 31, was detained following a complaint by the deputy police chief, who accused him of tarnishing his name on social media."The cause of death is very clear; head injury, neck compression and other injuries spread all over the body that are pointing towards assault," state pathologist Bernard Midia said. Police have not yet commented on the findings. Mr Ojwang was arrested in Homa Bay, a town in western Kenya, on Friday, over a post on X that was allegedly critical of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud was subsequently transferred over 350km (220 miles) to the capital, Nairobi, and booked into the Central Police Station on said he was later found unconscious in his cell with self-inflicted injuries. But an autopsy, conducted by five pathologists who released a unanimous report, revealed that Mr Ojwang had severe head injuries and suffered neck compression and multiple soft tissue trauma. Dr Midia, who led the team of pathologists, said that Mr Ojwang did not hit himself on the wall, as police had said in a statement on said if Mr Ojwang had done this, the pattern of injuries would have been different, and frontal bleeding on the head would be seen. "But the bleeds that we found on the scalp… on the skin of the head were spaced, including on the face, sides of the head and the back of the head," Dr Midia said at a press conference."There were also multiple soft tissue injuries spread all over the body, including the head, neck, upper limbs and the trunk and lower limbs... these were injuries that were externally inflicted," he added. The injuries were consistent with "external assault" and there were also signs of a struggle, according to pathologists. Faith Odhiambo, president of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), said the autopsy report clearly showed that Mr Ojwang had been "tortured" and "brutally murdered" in police custody. "We will continue to pile pressure until every single officer involved is held personally liable. We won't accept more excuses," Ms Odhiambo said. Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has condemned Mr Ojwang's "horrifying" death, saying it added to a long list of "young and defenceless Kenyans whose lives have been taken too soon, in brutal and senseless circumstances, at the hands of the police". Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja earlier suspended several officers who were on duty at the time of Mr Ojwang's human rights groups have demanded for more action, terming the blogger's death as a possible attempt to silence the digital community through intimidation and fear.A crowd of activists, holding placards and chanting "Stop killing us", protested on Monday outside Nairobi City mortuary, where Mr Ojwang's body is being Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched an inquiry into his death. You may also be interested in: Why Kenya's president has so many nicknamesThe 'tax collector' president sparking Kenyan angerBBC identifies security forces who shot Kenya anti-tax protesters Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
