Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) – “We are deeply disturbed by the tragic and suspicious death of Albert Ojwang while in police custody. His death is not just a personal loss to his family, but a painful wound to our national conscience and a reminder of the urgent need for accountability in our justice system,” is what the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) expressed, demanding clarification on the death of Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old teacher and influencer who died on June 8 while in pre-trial detention.Ojwang was arrested on June 6 at the family home in Kakot, Homa Bay County, following a social media post that allegedly defamed Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat. He was taken more than 350 kilometers to Nairobi Central Police Station and charged with violating a cybercrime law. On June 8, he was found unconscious in his cell during a routine check, apparently with head injuries. Police alleged he had committed suicide by repeatedly banging his head against a wall, and he was pronounced dead upon arrival at Mbagathi Hospital. However, the family’s lawyer reported that the body showed severe trauma, including head swelling, bruises, and bleeding from the nose and mouth, signs that do not match the official police account.Kenya’s Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched an inquiry into his death. The Inspectorate General of Police has suspended six officers stationed at Nairobi Central Police Station as a precautionary measure while the exact circumstances of Ojwang’s death are investigated.” We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the late Albert Ojwang. We share in their grief and in the public’s rightful demand for truth and justice,” the episcopal statement continues.” We strongly support the directive by the Inspector General to interdict officers linked to this case and urge that investigations be swift, transparent, and free from interference. No one is above the law, and those found culpable must face full legal consequences,” the bishops add. Ojwang’s case comes amid a climate of growing social tension, following the Generation Z protests in 2024 (see Fides, 1/7/2024), which were harshly repressed by the authorities and left 60 dead.Furthermore, between 2020 and 2024, more than 100 deaths in custody were recorded, according to data from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which has intensified demands for profound reform of the police force. In this context, the bishops called on Kenyan youth to remain calm. “At this difficult time, we call upon all Kenyans, especially the youth, to remain calm, peaceful, and prayerful. Let us not be provoked into violence or division. Our strength is in our unity and our collective demand for justice through lawful means.” “We remind our institutions: the measure of any just society is how it treats the vulnerable. Let this not be another case swept under the rug. Let Albert Ojwang’s name not be added to a growing list of forgotten victims,” the prelates conclude.The Supreme Council of Muslims of Kenya has also requested a transparent investigation into the death of the young teacher, while calling on the population to remain calm. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 10/6/2025)
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