The head of a police station in Kenya and all officers who were on duty when a man who had been detained for “false publication” died in custody have been suspended by the nation’s police chief.
The man in custody, Albert Ojwang was arrested for a post on X in the western town of Homa Bay and then driven 350km (220 miles) to the capital, Nairobi, said his father Meshack Opiyo to journalists.
“While in custody, the suspect sustained head injuries after hitting his head against a cell wall,” a police statement said.
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He was rushed to hospital “where he was reportedly pronounced dead on arrival”.
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Rights group Amnesty International’s director in Kenya said the death of Mr Ojwang was “very suspicious”.
In a statement about the death of the young man, Amnesty described him as a teacher and blogger, and the situation “raises serious questions that must be urgently, thoroughly, and independently investigated”.
Senior police officer Stephen Okal is quoted saying what happened in the cell was “an attempted suicide” by the Star newspaper.
For now, it remains unclear what the charge of “false publication” referred to, yet Mr Opiyo told online outlet Citizen Digital that the police officer said “Albert had insulted a senior person on X.”
A statement released by the police stated that officers were suspended to allow Kenya’s independent oversight body to conduct an “impartial investigation”.
Police chief Douglas Kanja at a press conference said the police would give the investigators all “necessary support” to help get to the bottom of the case.
He added that on Friday, Mr Ojwang was arrested in Homa Bay and was then transferred to Nairobi for questioning and booked at the police station on Saturday.
Kanja revealed that Mr Ojwang was found unconscious during a routine inspection of the cells, and was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
He confirmed that the arrest in Kenya had been prompted by a complaint by deputy police chief Eliud Lagat “about his name being tarnished”.
It was on that basis that investigations were actually being carried out,” the police chief added.
The head of the Independent Police Oversight Commission (Ipoa), Ahmed Isaack Hassan, has stated that they will do “everything to ensure justice is served for the family and for all Kenyans”.
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Mr Hassan, who attended the press conference, called on officers not to interfere with the investigations.
On Monday, a post-mortem examination was scheduled to be carried out.
The death of Mr Ojwang, 31, has sparked outrage online and calls for protests to demand police accountability.
Ojwang’s detention and death come at a time of rising concern about how some government critics are being treated.
Only a week ago, software developer Rose Njeri, who created a tool to help people oppose a government finance bill – was charged with violating a cybercrime law.
There is an outrage on the part of citizens for justice to be served for Albert Ojwang, who they believe was a victim of the brutal law enforcement system.
