A police officer accused of involvement in the death of popular blogger and teacher Albert Omondi Ojwang’ will remain in custody until June 20, 2025, following a court decision made on Friday, June 13.
Police Constable James Mukhwana appeared before the Milimani Law Courts for a miscellaneous application hearing. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) requested to detain him for 21 days to allow completion of investigations into Ojwang’s murder, which reportedly occurred while the deceased was in police custody.
Principal Magistrate Robinson Ondiek directed that Mukhwana be held at Capitol Hill Police Station pending the court’s decision on both the IPOA’s detention request and the officer’s bail application.
IPOA contends that Constable Mukhwana, who was serving as the cell sentry at Nairobi Central Police Station on the night of the incident, had direct access to the cells where Ojwang’ was allegedly assaulted. According to Senior Assistant Director of Investigations Abdirahaman Jibril, preliminary findings indicate a high likelihood that Mukhwana, alongside other unidentified individuals at the station, took part in the brutal assault that led to Ojwang’s death.
Jibril further stated that witness interrogations revealed Mukhwana was in continuous communication with individuals both inside and outside the police station immediately before, during, and after the time the alleged crime was committed. IPOA believes that this communication may have been used to coordinate the assault and later provide updates on its execution.
Citing concerns that Mukhwana could interfere with the ongoing investigation, IPOA requested his continued detention. Jibril warned that some suspects believed to have played a role in the murder remain at large and could potentially be contacted or influenced by the officer if released.
IPOA emphasized the need to detain Mukhwana not only to prevent possible interference but also to allow for the arrest and questioning of other persons of interest in the case.
However, the defense, led by Lawyer Danstan Omari, urged the court to grant Mukhwana release on cash bail. Omari argued that the prosecution had failed to provide any material evidence showing that his client had attempted to interfere with investigations.
He proposed that, if released, Mukhwana could be barred from approaching Nairobi Central Police Station as a precautionary measure. Omari maintained that the officer’s right to bail should be upheld, given the lack of concrete evidence of obstruction.
The case is scheduled to be mentioned again on June 20, 2025, for further directions, as the court weighs the competing claims over the need for continued detention versus the officer’s right to temporary release.
