The case involving Albert Ojwang has taken a new twist after the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) revealed that critical CCTV footage from the OCS’s office had been tampered with.
IPOA’s Deputy Chairperson, Ann Wanjiku, made the revelation on Wednesday, June 11, while appearing before the Senate, where she was grilled on findings from the authority on Ojwang’s death.
While confirming that IPOA learnt about Ojwang’s death through the media, the deputy chairperson revealed that investigations were immediately launched, which uncovered several inconsistencies in the National Police Service’s initial version of events.
“The key findings were that the CCTV systems located at the OCS’s office had been interfered with,” she said.
IPOA also confirmed the identities of the officers involved in the initial arrest of Ojwang. The officers included three police commanders and two sergeants.
According to Wanjiku, on June 7, a team went to Lida Centre in Homa Bay County and arrested the deceased at around 2:30 pm and took him to Mawego Police Station.
Further IPOA investigations revealed that Ojwang was later transferred to Central Police Station, where he was booked at 9:31 pm.
Wanjiku also admitted that IPOA only learned of Ojwang’s death through the media and a police signal sent by Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja.
The revelation of the interference with CCTV cameras at Central Police Station in the build-up to news of Ojwang’s death inevitably led to outrage in the Senate, with Senators calling for more accountability.
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua demanded clarity on the station where Ojwang was first booked when he arrived in Nairobi County. Wambua was also up in arms over the obscurity surrounding whether the deceased was in good health when he was being booked in Nairobi.
“Who interfered with the CCTV cameras on the night in question? You cannot tell us you don’t know because if you do, there is a big problem, Mr IG,” Wambua posed.
Further questions were raised about the fate of the arresting officers, since there was no clarification on what happened to the five after the NPS revealed they had recorded statements.
Nominated Senator Veronica Waheti also weighed in on the CCTV issue, insisting that a high-stakes area such as Central Police Station must surely have backup footage from CCTVs in the event of tampering.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen was also put to task on his silence on the matter in the wake of Ojwang’s death before the Senate. According to the CS, the provisions of Article 245(4) of the Constitution prevented him from giving direction to the Inspector General of Police with respect to the investigation of any particular offence.
