The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has demanded the immediate release of the names of police officers interdicted in connection with the mysterious death of blogger Albert Ojwang, accusing the National Police Service (NPS) of shielding key suspects from public scrutiny.
Addressing the press on Monday, LSK President Faith Odhiambo challenged Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to publicly disclose the identities of officers suspended after Ojwang died in custody at Nairobi’s Central Police Station.
“Why has he not named the particular officers who have been interdicted? What is the need to hide? Let Kenyans know. We want to know who picked Ojwang. Are they among those interdicted?” Odhiambo posed.
She criticised the NPS for what she termed a public relations gimmick and insisted that transparency was crucial to ensuring accountability.
“The details shared so far by the IG are far from sufficient. Without telling Kenyans in plain words who these individuals are, we will be treated to just PR aimed at calming down the public,” she said.
Odhiambo condemned Ojwang’s treatment, calling it a betrayal of justice and a symptom of deep-rooted institutional failures within the police service.
“Kenya has no room for extrajudicial killings and criminal conduct by police. The treatment of Ojwang is not an isolated case—it points to systemic weaknesses within the NPS,” she added.
The society also questioned the decision to transfer Ojwang from Homa Bay to Nairobi, terming it a waste of public resources and an act of intimidation.
Ojwang, a social media personality, was arrested in Homa Bay on Saturday, June 8, following a defamation complaint allegedly filed by Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat. He was later reported dead in police custody, a case that has triggered national outrage.
LSK has now called for Lagat’s immediate recusal from the investigations, citing a clear conflict of interest. The society also singled out Central and Kamukunji Police Stations as epicentres of police brutality and abuse.
Outside City Mortuary on Monday, protesters and activists, including Kenya School of Law President Joshua Okayo, demanded justice for Ojwang and transparency from the authorities.
“Why was it necessary to drive Albert 400 kilometres from Homa Bay to Nairobi to face charges? Is there no Magistrate Court in Homa Bay?” Okayo asked.
The Police Reforms Working Group (PRWG) also weighed in, calling Ojwang’s death a state-sanctioned homicide and demanding an independent and impartial probe.
“Now that the Inspector General has confirmed that Lagat was the complainant, we demand that Lagat be investigated over his role in the arrest that led to Ojwang’s death,” PRWG said.
They pointed out that the alleged offence—false publication—is a minor misdemeanour and did not warrant such harsh treatment.
PRWG further raised doubts about the official narrative suggesting suicide, stating that Ojwang was cooperative and had contacted relatives to raise bail before his death.
The group also expressed frustration that attempts by Ojwang’s family, their lawyer, LSK, and IPOA to access the crime scene were blocked by the absence of senior officers at the Central Police Station.
“Now that the OCS, duty officer, cell sentry and others on shift that night have been interdicted, IPOA and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights must move swiftly to secure the scene and all related evidence,” PRWG said.
The group concluded by calling for a United Nations fact-finding mission to probe enforced disappearances, custodial deaths, and arbitrary arrests in Kenya.
“Without an independent external investigation, these violations will continue to pose a serious threat to Kenyan lives, the rule of law, and national stability,” they warned.
