A Nairobi court has ordered the detention of Nairobi Central Officer Commanding Station (OCS), Samson Kiprotich Talaam, for a period of 15 days to allow the completion of investigations into the murder of blogger and teacher Albert Omondi Ojwang.
The decision was delivered on June 18, 2025, by the Milimani Principal Magistrate, who found that the prosecution had presented compelling reasons to justify Talaam’s continued detention. Among the primary concerns raised was the possibility of the OCS interfering with investigations due to his long tenure and senior position in the police service. The magistrate noted that Talaam has served in the police force for 29 years, making it plausible that he could influence or interfere with the ongoing inquiry.
The prosecution, working alongside the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), had initially requested the court to allow a 21-day detention period. They argued that they were only halfway through the investigation process, having completed 49% of the work. They emphasized the necessity of detaining Talaam to preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigations.
However, the court dismissed other grounds put forward by the prosecution, including the claim that Talaam would be unsafe if released and that he posed a flight risk. The magistrate ruled that neither of these arguments met the legal threshold to warrant pretrial detention on their own.
In response, Talaam’s legal team, led by prominent defense lawyers, requested that the 15-day detention period be calculated from June 13, 2025 the date Talaam was arrested or alternatively from June 16, when he was formally arraigned in court. After deliberation, all parties agreed that the 15-day period would be counted from June 16, aligning with his first court appearance.
The defense further petitioned the court to release Talaam on cash bail, suggesting an amount of Ksh70,000, citing financial limitations. They maintained that he was not a flight risk and would comply with any conditions set by the court.
Talaam had voluntarily presented himself at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters on June 13, 2025, after which he was taken to IPOA offices. He was later booked and held at Lang’ata Police Station until his court appearance.
The matter is scheduled for mention on July 1, 2025, when the court will receive updates on the progress of the investigations and possibly make further directions regarding Talaam’s custody or potential release.
