Postmortem on body of Albert Ojwang underway at City Mortuary

A postmortem on the body of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang is currently underway at the City Mortuary, as pressure mounts on authorities to explain the circumstances surrounding his death while in police custody at Nairobi Central Police Station.

Ojwang had travelled to Homa Bay to visit his family when he was arrested in Kakot and later transferred to Nairobi. He died while still in custody, raising serious concerns over how the arrest, transfer and detention were handled.

The autopsy was originally planned for Monday but was postponed twice; first to the afternoon, then to the evening before being rescheduled due to logistical issues.

Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor confirmed that the post-mortem would now be conducted today at City Mortuary.

Ojwang’s family and Kenyans online have called for answers after images of his body showing visible injuries circulated.

A lawyer representing the family said there were extensive injuries to his head, hands and shoulder, raising doubts over the police claim that he died by suicide inside a cell.

Ojwang was arrested over what police said was a message he had sent. Legal experts now question whether proper legal procedures were followed during his arrest and transfer.

Advocate Lempaa Suyianka said Ojwang should have been booked at a local police station, and if any transfer was needed, a court order should have been obtained.

"There is what we call geographical jurisdiction, and the geographical jurisdiction, in this case, of the alleged crime is in Migori," said Suyianka.

"You can be transported in the case of a felony from anywhere. In the case of Ojwang, a felony was not committed as this was simply a matter of sending a message to someone," he added.

Suyianka said the police should have presented Ojwang in court near the area of arrest and only requested a transfer through a court process if necessary.

He warned that any failure to follow these steps could point to a violation of Ojwang’s rights.

Following the public uproar, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched investigations into Ojwang’s death.

IPOA chairperson Issack Hassan confirmed that investigators had visited the scene, contacted the family, and were present at City Mortuary.

Five officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have already been interviewed, and their statements recorded.

"The findings will inform the Authority’s further communication to the public on the progress of the investigation and recommendations to the relevant state agencies, particularly the Director of Public Prosecutions, should criminal culpability be established," said Hassan.

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said Ipoa had been officially notified and that all officers involved had been interdicted to allow for investigations.

The interdicted officers include the Officer Commanding Station at Central Police Station, the duty officer that night, the Cell Sentry, and officers at the Report Office.

Ojwang's death has reignited national debate over police accountability and how detainees are treated in custody. Today’s autopsy is expected to provide critical answers as investigators work to determine what happened during his final hours.