Albert Ojwang: Teacher Arrested Over X Post Dies in Police Custody

A teacher arrested over an allegedly derogatory social media post died in police custody in Nairobi on Sunday, prompting an independent investigation into the circumstances of his death, authorities said.

Albert Ojwang, an educator from Voi in his 30s, was arrested in Migori Town while visiting family, according to police. Authorities claimed his post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, contained inflammatory content — though without disclosing the specifics, citing an ongoing investigation.

Ojwang was taken more than 300 kilometres to Nairobi for questioning and held at a city police station on Saturday.

Tragically, on the morning of Sunday, police said he was found unresponsive in his cell with severe head injuries, which they described as self-inflicted. Nairobi Central Police chief Stephen Okal told reporters, “He was alone in the cell and appeared to have harmed himself. He was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. He did not die here in custody”

An autopsy is pending, and Ojwang’s body has been moved to a mortuary. His family, notified of the incident, is expected to attend the post-mortem in Nairobi.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is expected to launch a probe into the death, amid rising public concern over custodial fatalities in Kenya.

The case has fuelled debate on X, where users are questioning the police narrative on their official accounts and calling for accountability.

Ojwang’s incident coincided with a reported uptick in suicides across Kenya, with authorities noting six cases on Saturday, June 7, alone, including a separate one in Kakamega County, where a 34-year-old woman died after falling into a borehole.

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