Police Officer Arrested, to be Charged With Murder of Albert Ojwang

Police officer James Mukhwana, attached to Central Police Station, has been arrested in connection with the death of Albert Ojwang.   

According to an internal police communication issued by the Capitol Hill Police Station on Thursday, June 12, the officer will face murder charges. 

The officer, whose service number is 260690, was apprehended earlier on Thursday and is currently being held at the Capitol Hill Police Station. 

The arrest was conducted by officers from NPS's Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

"Please be informed that No.260690 PC James Mukwana of Central Police Station, Nairobi, was arrested today, 12/06/2025, and placed in custody at Capitol Hill Police Station by officers from IAU and IPOA," the document states.

Mukwana is expected to be charged with the offence of murder.

Ojwang died while in police custody at the Central Police Station; autopsy results showed that he died from head injuries and neck compression. 

The National Police Service (NPS) initially claimed that Ojwang had died by suicide, allegedly from repeatedly banging his head against a wall. 

However, a postmortem report later ruled out the possibility of suicide.

"The cause of death is very clear. A head injury, neck compression, and we also have other injuries on other parts of the body that are pointing towards assault. When you combine all the injuries in the body, they are consistent with a struggle," government pathologist Bernard Midia said.

Earlier Thursday, the Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohammed Amin, insisted that Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Samson Taalam of Central Police Station should be treated as a suspect in connection with the death of Albert Ojwang.

Speaking while appearing before a Parliamentary Committee, he pointed to the initial communication from the police station on the cause of Ojwang's death.

"On why I said that the OCS is the principal suspect, the allegation of Albert Ojwang banging his head against the wall came from Central Police Station, and Taalam is the officer commanding Central Police Station.

"Why would an officer coin such a narrative? That's why I said that whatever utterances the OCS is making, we should treat them with a pinch of salt. I have not said that he is an accused person, but we should treat him as a suspect because why would somebody coin that allegation," he said.