Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has publicly apologised after issuing an inaccurate statement regarding the death of influencer Albert Ojwang. Initially, Kanja claimed Ojwang had died by suicide after allegedly hitting his head against the walls of a police cell. This claim quickly sparked public outrage, with many accusing the police of attempting to hide the truth behind Ojwang’s death.
The matter took centre stage during a Senate session held on Wednesday. Kanja appeared before the lawmakers but remained cautious in his responses. He declined to provide further details until the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) completes its investigation.
Kanja said disciplinary action would be taken against officers who provided him with the initial, misleading report. He confirmed that any such action would follow the existing Standard Operating Procedures. “If in the ongoing investigations by IPOA we get to know the truth, the officers who issued the initial report will have to face disciplinary procedures,” he stated.
He added, “From what we’ve heard here, we will proceed and take necessary measures against the officer who gave us the material on that day.”
However, senators pushed back against Kanja’s stance. They pointed out that IPOA had already dismissed the suicide theory based on autopsy results. With mounting pressure, Kanja finally issued a formal apology. “I tender my apology on behalf of the NPS because of that information,” he said, earning a round of applause from the Senate.
Throughout the Question and Answer session, Kanja repeatedly redirected responsibility to IPOA, stating that the agency is best placed to uncover what transpired during Ojwang’s final moments while in police custody at the Central Police Station in Nairobi.
Senators questioned key aspects of the case, including the tampering of CCTV footage on the day of Ojwang’s death and the unexplained transfer of the influencer from Homa Bay to Nairobi. Kanja acknowledged the gravity of these concerns and said IPOA was investigating the full scope of the incident.
He concluded by reaffirming that any officer found guilty of interfering with the investigation or CCTV evidence would face consequences. “IPOA is investigating the entire scene of the crime and will tell us what happened with the CCTV footage. If there’s anyone involved in that, punishment must be meted out to the officer,” Kanja said.
By Lucky Anyanje