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Kenyan police officer arrested amid protests over death in custody Kenyan police officer appears in court amid protests over death in custody
(about 3 hours later)
Albert Ojwang’s death renews focus on long-standing allegations of police brutality in east African country James Mukhwana prosecuted after death of Albert Ojwang, a teacher arrested after criticising police on social media
A Kenyan police officer has been arrested in connection with a death in custody, the latest development in a case that has sparked widespread anger and protests in the capital. A Kenyan police officer has appeared in court in connection with the death of a teacher in police custody in a case that has caused rage and protests and brought renewed scrutiny on the country’s security forces.
Albert Ojwang, 31, died in police custody last weekend after he was arrested over his criticism of a senior officer online. Constable James Mukhwana is the first police officer to be arrested over the death of Albert Ojwang, a secondary school teacher who was arrested on 6 June in Homa Bay county in western Kenya after criticising a senior police official on social media. After his arrest Ojwang was driven about 350km to Nairobi, where he died two days later.
Police said initially he died after hitting his own head against the wall, but a government pathologist later said the injuries were “unlikely to be self-inflicted”. Mukhwana was the cell sentry officer on duty the night Ojwang, 31, was brought to Central police station in Nairobi. His prosecution is the latest in what has become a fast-developing case.
The case has renewed focus on long-standing allegations of police brutality in the east African country and protesters have called for the resignation of the deputy inspector general Eliud Kipkoech Lagat, the subject of Ojwang’s comments. Police originally said Ojwang had died “after hitting his head against a cell wall”, but an autopsy showed that his wounds – including a head injury, neck compression and multiple soft tissue injuries – were likely to have been a result of assault. “These were injuries that were externally inflicted,” said Dr Bernard Midia, who led a team of pathologists for the postmortem.
On Friday, the police spokesperson Michael Muchiri confirmed to Agence France-Presse that a constable had been arrested in connection with the incident. He gave no further details and redirected inquiries to the police watchdog, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). On Wednesday, Douglas Kanja, the inspector general of police, apologised on behalf of the police for saying Ojwang had died after hitting his head against a wall, saying that had been “misinformation”.
A spokesperson for the IPOA, which is investigating the death, did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority, a watchdog, has launched an investigation, which encompasses the actions of the officers who arrested Ojwang in Homa Bay County and took him to Nairobi. On Tuesday, the police spokesperson Michael Muchiri said five officers had been removed from active duty to “allow for transparent investigations”.
Earlier in the week, Muchiri said five officers had been removed from active duty, to “allow for transparent investigations”. Ojwang’s death caused outrage online and protests in the capital, Nairobi, as people demanded accountability and called for the resignation of the deputy inspector general Eliud Kipkoech Lagat, the subject of Ojwang’s comments.
Kenya’s president, William Ruto, has called for a swift investigation, and promised on Friday the government would “protect citizens from rogue police officers”. Police fired teargas on Monday to disperse protesters as they marched to the Central police station, then again on Thursday as protesters set vehicles ablaze.
The arrest follows the IPOA saying 20 people had died in custody in the past four months. Ojwang’s death rekindled persistent public rage against police brutality and other high-handedness in Kenya, where police are rarely convicted. It also came nearly a year after unprecedented protests that led to the killings of dozens of protesters and the disappearances and abductions of many more.
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Ojwang’s death has been a catalyst for simmering anger over a spate of abductions following anti-government protests last year. Rights groups say dozens were illegally detained in the rallies’ aftermath, with many still missing, and others have been arrested for criticism of the government and Ruto. Kenya’s president, William Ruto, said this week that Ojwang had died “at the hands of the police” and ordered the National Police Service to cooperate with the IPOA in the investigation. He said Ojwang’s death was “heartbreaking and unacceptable”, adding: “I strongly condemn the actions and omissions, including any negligence or outright criminality, that may have contributed to his untimely death.”
Ruto has in the past promised to stop extrajudicial killings by security apparatus, but activists and rights groups fault his administration for failing to stop it and even accuse it of concealing the crimes.