Why did Albert Oyung’s death subjected Kenya police to the test

“My son was killed as an animal,” Meshak Owang said before breaking in tears in front of journalists outside the Central Police Department in the capital of Kenya, Nairobi.

His only son Albert Owang was arrested in their village of Kakot, near the Western city of Homa Bay, the previous day – on Saturday, June 7, 2025 – as he was lunch with his wife innocent.

One of the five arrest officials told the family that he was accused of insulting a police chief on social media.

“We asked the police if he would be safe because we had heard stories about kidnapped some people,” G -Ja Ono told the BBC. “They assured us that they even give us their numbers.”

When G -n Ojwang was booked at the Central Police Department around 9:30 pm on Saturday night, he was allowed to call his wife.

“When we talked, he was like,” No matter how stressed I was, don’t worry so much. I’ll see you soon. “I think these were his last words,” she said.

But his father was concerned and decided to follow his son, making a trip of 350 km (220 miles) to Nairobi – he carried the family ownership case as a security, if a guarantee needed to be paid.

He says he arrived early on Sunday morning at the station and after he was for several hours, he eventually told him that his son had died of self -inflicted wounds.

In disbelief and stood by his lawyer, he described that he saw his son’s body: “He was bleeding from his nose and had a bruised torso and face. He was also without a shirt, but this was not the case on which I betrayed him to the police on Saturday.”

His frank interview at Heartfelt Swahili and his refusal to remain silent by touching the Kenyans and the Heshtega #justiceForalBertojwang immediately began a trend, with calls for investigation.

Kenya has a history of police brutality, but the subsequent revelations stunned the nation – not only the details of the death in the police arrest of a training teacher, turned into a blogger, but also the subsequent accusations of police lies and a pad.

Parliament even called at the Head of the Police, the Head of the Criminal Investigation Directorate (DCI), the Minister of Interior and the independent police supervision (IPOA) for questioning.

It is difficult to imagine why the 31-year-old graduate of a bachelor of education could die such brutal circumstances.

It is clear that his father, who worked in a career in southeastern Kenya, was proud that his son had done so well academic from such humble beginnings.

“He could never hurt anyone neither online nor physically,” said David Bwakali, a former colleague to teach at Kituma Secondary School, in front of Kenya’s Daily Nation.

Albert Ozwang, a passionate fan of football in Manchester United, teaches religious research, history and rugby at the school in Mwatate in Southeastern Kenya.

He was only there for a few terms last year, as he was not hired under a government contract but to the private board of the school.

This is common for new teachers – he has not ended for a long time at the University of Povan – and such arrangements tend to not pay well.

G -n Bwakali said his friend was recently in a relationship to discuss how he hoped to receive publication as a government teacher.

And it was an exciting time for Mr. Ojwang, who lived in the coastal city of Malindi, as he and his 26-year-old wife returned to their home in the village bay Hom for a long visit so that she could be represented properly with his family.

They had arrived in April and, according to Luo, customs formalized their marriage.

Some of these traditions included the renovation of his Simba – or the bachelor’s pad within his father’s farm – in a home suitable for the couple and their three -year -old son George.

He was helping his parents by doing some farm work on the family plot of family – and he and his wife made plans for their future with the upcoming graduation of D -Jan that health worker.

Ojwang was also trying to make money as a creator of digital content – and was part of the movement of young people on social media, publishing on political and social issues.

This led to his death.

It is unclear how many followers he had on the X, as his account was deleted after his arrest, but colleagues influenced said he had a strong online presence and often participated in social media campaigns.

He uses a nickname – something that is not uncommon with the Kenyans online, given recent repression of disagreement for youth.

Activists associate his death with a broader tendency to impunity from police, citing the unresolved death of more than 60 young people during last year’s protests against taxes.

“The death of Oyvang is not an isolated incident, but a chilling reminder of institutionalized impunity and wicked behavior within the National Police Service (NP),” told local media for human rights (muck) and the famous human rights defender Hellif.

But what is unusual in the case of Albert Owang is how fast and detailed the investigation was. In addition, two days from the television parliamentary hearing means that the Kenyans have heard of themselves the disturbing details that led to his death.

When he appeared in front of Parliament last Wednesday, police chief Douglas Kanja was forced to withdraw more police statement, saying that G -n -Ojwang was found unconscious in his cell and rushed to a hospital where he died of injuries to his head after he had hit his head in the wall.

The post -death check and an unusually quick IPOA investigation ruled out the possibility of the blogger killed.

The police chief apologized and accused the mistake of “misinformation” by his adolescents.

He continued to say that the arrest of G -n Ojwang was descended from defamatory online publications aimed at his deputy, Eliud Lagat – who has since stepped awayS They said that he did it in the “good and conscious thought” for his responsibilities as the deputy chief of the police and that he would provide any support he can investigate about the blogger’s death.

According to G -n Kanja’s statement to parliament, X posts claim that Lagat has conducted corrupt operations in the police by placing reliable staff in specific departments and shifts of traffic to “control both revenue flows and intelligence.”

Mr. Kanja’s statement is detailed in detail, different posts, including one who claims that Mr Lagat was in the process of investigating the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), along with his photo and the phrase “Mafia Cop”.

According to the parliamentary statement of the police chief, Lagat filed a complaint to DCI on June 4 on positions. The next day, when EACC confirmed that there was no investigation into Lagat, the police were proceeding to what was considered a “serious case” under the Computer and Cybercrime Act.

Kanja said that the communications authority was linked to about two positions related to the positions. This led to the arrest of a man on June 5, who revealed that he and four others were involved in the campaign – one is Albert Ozwang.

Two days later, police have followed the Ojwang to their home village in West Kenya.

In his testimony, IPOA Vice -Chairman Ann Vanjiku gave some shocking details about the last few hours of the life of G -n Ojwang.

She said that two witnesses who were in a neighboring cell have told IPOA that they have heard strong screams in the night they died.

IPOA investigators say a technician has been paid $ 30 (£ 22) to exclude CCTV at the station.

After the end of the parliamentary hearing, Two police officers were arrested in connection with the death of G -n OjwangS

Ipoa, who is conducting the case, said the junior PC officer James Muquana told investigators that the intention was to “discipline” d -ojwang, not to kill him.

He said that the station responsible for the station, Samson Talam was linked to G -n Lagat with the order and gave CONSTABLE $ 15 to pay two prisoners to defeat G -n Ojwang.

Through his lawyers, he denied the claim and did not comment on the facts.

According to Kenyan legislation, the persons in the police arrest are entitled to specific protection, including the right to legal representation and communication with defenders or support of the persons.

The family of G -n Ojwang is still having difficulty in absorbing its loss.

“I didn’t believe it until I saw his body in the morgue,” G -Jano told BBC that he was carrying signs of torture. It was like “things we just see in the movies … I never watched such a body. It was so much breaking up,” she said.

President William Ruto, who promised to end the history of Kenya’s police brutality and out -of -court deaths, when he came to power in 2022, spoke about his shock, saying, “This tragic event in the hands of the police is heartbreaking and unacceptable.”

He urged the police to cooperate in full to facilitate the “fast, transparent and reliable investigation”.

“I fully expect that the truth about what happened to Ojwang will be established in a timely manner and that justice will be served,” he added.

However, nearly 160 cases of suspected out -of -court murders and disappearance were reported in Kenya last year, According to the Kenyan Committee on Human Rights (KHRC).

IPOA chairman Ahmed Isaac Hassan told MPs when he was questioned on Thursday that at least 20 people had died while being held by police in the last four months.

“It is as if our constitution is only like a newspaper that must be read, and tomorrow we forget about it,” said the father of G -n -Owang to the BBC.

The grief has conquered the widow of G -n Ojwang: “I don’t know what will happen further, because this man who was my best friend … He is not there. So I feel that my world is so small and dark.”

But like her father-in-law, Mrs. Thatango believes that the case that caused protests can be a turning point.

“I think Albert’s death should open our eyes because it showed us some of the things that happen in the cells we may not know.

“I really want to talk to my fellow Kenyans to stay on our feet and try to talk about this so that everyone can be responsible.”