With the public now shifting their focus to the slain teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang, who died while in custody at the Central Police Station, former Roots Party running mate Justina Wamae has come out to call for a shift in the management of police cells to the prisons department.

In a statement released on her X account on Saturday, June 14, 2025, Justina stated that prison wardens should be the ones handling inmates in the cells.

According to Wamae, the prison department is well-trained and competent enough to manage inmates in the cells compared to the National Police Service.

In addition to this, Wamae recommends that once the prison department is given the mandate to oversee the cells, the facilities should be equipped with functional surveillance cameras.

“What if police cells are handed over and manned by the prison department since they are better trained in handling inmates, in addition to having functional cameras?” Justina Wamae said.

Ojwang’s death

Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old Kenyan teacher, blogger, and social media influencer, died in police custody on June 8, 2025, at Nairobi’s Central Police Station, sparking widespread protests and outrage across Kenya.

He was arrested on June 6 in Homa Bay County, western Kenya, for defaming Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat on social media, specifically for posts accusing Lagat of involvement in a bribery scandal.

Ojwang was transported approximately 350 km to Nairobi, where he met his death.

Contradictions

The National Police Service (NPS) initially claimed Ojwang died from self-inflicted head injuries after hitting his head against the cell wall and was found unconscious during a routine inspection.

However, an autopsy conducted by five pathologists, including state pathologist Bernard Midia, revealed severe head injuries, neck compression, and multiple soft tissue injuries, indicating assault as the likely cause of death.

These findings contradicted the police’s narrative, leading Inspector General Douglas Kanja to retract the initial statement, apologise for the misinformation, and acknowledge the possibility of foul play.

On Friday, June 13, 2025, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) came out to state that the deceased breathed his last at the Central Police Station and not at Mbagathi, as police had earlier stated.

Officers Interrogated and Arrested

IPOA has interrogated 17 officers, including six who were on duty at Central Police Station on the night Ojwang died, five DCI officers involved in his arrest, and several others.

Five officers linked to the arrest were named: Sergeant Sigei, Sergeant Wesley Kipkorir Kirui, and Police Constables Dennis Kenyoni, Milton Mwanze, and Boniface Rabudo.

Police Constable James Mukhwana, the cell sentry, was arrested on June 12 and arraigned on June 13, with IPOA seeking to detain him for 21 days, citing his role in holding the cell keys and communicating with others to plan the assault and tamper with evidence.