Central OCS Due in Court Over Blogger Ojwang’s Murder as Pressure Mounts on Deputy IG Lagat To Resign » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya June 16 – Nairobi Central Police Station’s Officer Commanding Station (OCS), Samson Talam, is expected to appear before the Milimani Law Courts Monday morning over the murder of political blogger Albert Ojwang, who died under suspicious circumstances while in police custody.

Police sources told Capital FM News that the prosecution will seek to detain Talam for two to three more weeks to allow completion of investigations before murder charges are formally filed.

Talam was arrested on Friday in Eldoret after a day-long manhunt.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), he had switched off his phone to evade arrest but was eventually traced and handed over to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) for processing.

His arrest brings the number of individuals detained in connection with Ojwang’s death to three, with others still under investigation.

Ojwang had been arrested at his home in Homa Bay over allegations of publishing false information. He was transferred to Nairobi and booked at Central Police Station, where he allegedly suffered a fatal beating. IPOA says multiple officers have implicated Talam in the fatal assault, and a coordinated cover-up involving deleted CCTV footage is under investigation.

Meanwhile, pressure is mounting for the resignation of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, whose complaint against Ojwang—over an alleged defamatory online post—is what triggered the blogger’s arrest. Critics say Lagat’s involvement compromises the integrity of the investigations.

A total of 23 individuals, including 17 police officers and six civilians, have been questioned so far. IPOA has confirmed that some officers have revised their initial statements and now admit the assault took place inside the station’s holding cells. Detectives are still searching for the riot baton believed to have been used in the attack.

One officer, Constable James Mukhwana, is already being held for seven days following a court order issued on Thursday. A technician who admitted being paid Sh3,000 to delete CCTV footage from the night Ojwang died is also in custody.

The ongoing probe has intensified scrutiny of police conduct and renewed public outrage over extrajudicial killings. Talam’s arraignment is expected to be a key moment in the quest for accountability.