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senate
11 June 2025
3h 31m
The Senate Plenary, Wednesday, 11th June 2025. Morning Session

Death of Albert Ojwang in Police Custody

Wednesday 11 June, 2025 | Morning Session

The Senate held a special morning session focused on the death of Albert Omondi Ojwang, a 31-year-old man who died while in police custody. The session was unprecedented in nature, with normal business temporarily suspended to allow Senators to directly question top security officials. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior, the Inspector General of Police, IPOA, and the National Police Service Commission were all summoned to respond to concerns over the circumstances of the death, and broader issues of police accountability and abuse.

Bills Discussed

  • Business Laws (Amendment) Bill, Senate Bill No. 51 of 2024 – Second Reading; Mover replied; vote deferred

Topics Discussed

  • Death in custody of Albert Ojwang and associated police misconduct
  • Police brutality and extra-judicial killings in Kenya
  • Failure of IPOA to effectively investigate police abuse
  • Constitutional limits on Cabinet Secretary oversight of police operations
  • Chain of custody and transfer procedures for arrested individuals
  • Interference with police station CCTV and cover-up allegations
  • Role and accountability of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat
  • Oversight failures and the independence of investigative bodies
  • Public anger and comparisons to historical cases of police abuse
  • Inequality in national attention toward victims from different regions

Key Takeaways and Decisions

  • The Senate formally suspended its sitting for up to two hours to interrogate the Interior Cabinet Secretary and security heads.
  • All invited security officials were placed under oath before giving their statements.
  • The autopsy report revealed blunt force trauma, neck compression, and multiple injuries, ruling out suicide.
  • IPOA confirmed CCTV footage at Central Police Station was tampered with.
  • Multiple officers from Central Police Station were interdicted; further disciplinary steps pending.
  • The proceedings will inform a future report by the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations.

Major Participants

  • Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen (CS, Interior): Promised justice and cooperation, stressed his constitutional limitations on directing police investigations.
  • Douglas Kanja (Inspector General of Police): Gave a timeline of events leading to Ojwang’s arrest and death; confirmed officer interdictions.
  • Anne Wanjiku (Deputy Chair, IPOA): Provided preliminary investigative findings; confirmed tampering of CCTV and blunt force trauma.
  • Hon. Mohammed Amin (Director of Criminal Investigations): Pledged cooperation with IPOA investigations.
  • Hon. Eddie Okech: Brought forward the initial motion; demanded clarity on suspects and state responsibility.
  • Hon. Boni Khalwale: Called for resignations and accountability, including naming specific officers and questioning official narratives.
  • Hon. Enoch Wambua: Criticized IPOA as the weakest link; pushed for answers on who deleted key accounts and tampered with CCTV.
  • Hon. Beatrice Ogola, Samson Cherargei, Danson Mungatana, Okong'o Omogeni, Fatuma Dullo: Raised pressing procedural and accountability concerns.
  • Hon. Abdulkadir Mohamed Haji: Urged national consistency in mourning and investigating state violence, citing neglected cases in Northern Kenya.

Key Moments

  • The Speaker clarified that the session was not a Committee of the Whole but a suspended sitting with no binding resolutions.
  • Senators demanded that all speakers testify under oath, which was executed before statements began.
  • The IG faced intense questioning over the claim that Ojwang “hit his head on a wall,” which the autopsy contradicted.
  • Heated debate over whether DIG Eliud Lagat, whose complaint initiated the arrest, should step aside.
  • Emotional appeals from Senators across political lines urging justice and deeper reforms.

Notable Quotes

  • “One life lost is a life too many.” – CS Kipchumba Murkomen
  • “Was the Central Police Station the first stop—or was Albert tortured and brought in already dying?” – Sen. Enoch Wambua
  • “If DIG Lagat triggered the chain that ended in death, why is he still in office?” – Sen. Moses Kajwang

This summary was generated from official YouTube livestreams of the Kenyan Parliament using bunge-bits, an automated transcription and summarization tool.