The Independent Policing Oversight Authority has filed a request in court seeking to detain Nairobi Central Police Station OCS, Samson Taalam, for 21 days as it finalizes investigations into the killing of blogger Albert Ojwang, who is believed to have died in police custody.

In the application, IPOA wants Taalam held at Lang’ata Police Station or any other station as investigations require. The authority is also seeking permission to conduct a forensic examination on electronic devices taken from the officer.

The application is backed by an affidavit from Senior Assistant Director of Investigations Abdirahman Jibril, based at IPOA’s headquarters, who stated that the case being investigated is Inquiry No. IPOA/INV/476/2025.

Ojwang is suspected to have died while being held at Nairobi Central Police Station. “Taalam was arrested on June 13, 2025, by DCI officers and handed over to IPOA. He was later booked at Lang’ata Police Station under OB No. 50/13/6/2025 at 6:05 pm.

At the time of arrest, Taalam was informed that it was in connection to the ongoing murder investigation,” the court was told.

IPOA said early findings suggest that Taalam and others who are still at large planned, directed, and tried to cover up the deadly assault on Ojwang inside the station’s cells.

Taalam’s phones, which were seized during his arrest, are yet to be forensically examined. IPOA argued that the days since his arrest have not been enough to complete investigations and that the extended custody is necessary to conclude the process.