IPOA NAMES OFFICERS LINKED TO ARREST OF BLOGGER ALBERT OJWANG

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has named five police officers involved in the arrest of blogger Albert Ojwang, who later died under suspicious circumstances while in custody. Those named are Sergeants Sigei and Wesley Korir, and Constables Dennis Kinyoni, Milton Mwanze, and Boniface Rapudo.

Ojwang, a digital content creator, was arrested on June 7, 2025, at his home in Homa Bay County. He was first detained at Mawego Police Station before being transferred to Central Police Station in Nairobi later that evening.

According to IPOA, the arrest was part of a probe into defamatory content posted on social media platform X. The investigation followed a formal complaint from Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Langat, who claimed the account @pixelpioneer had targeted him.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ Serious Crimes Unit traced the account to Kelvin Muinde, who was arrested in Bomachoge. During interrogations, Ojwang was identified as a second suspect.

Police reported that Ojwang sustained fatal injuries after allegedly hitting his head against a cell wall. He was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead the same night.

However, a post-mortem examination contradicted the police account, showing that Ojwang died from blunt-force trauma to the head and compression injuries to the neck. These findings point to possible external assault rather than self-inflicted harm.

IPOA’s investigations are ongoing as public concern grows over the conduct of officers during digital crimes enforcement.