Kenyan authorities announced on Monday that they would be charging six individuals, including three members of the police force, with murder in connection with the death of a teacher while he was in custody, an incident that has sparked protests.
Albert Ojwang, who was 31 years old, was discovered dead in a police cell in Nairobi earlier this month.
Initially, the police suggested that he had died by suicide, but a subsequent investigation by government pathologists determined that he had been killed.
The incident has led to demonstrations against police brutality, a longstanding issue in the East African nation, and these protests faced tear gas and a group of violent “goons” last week.
There was also public outcry following an incident widely circulated on social media, in which an officer shot a protester at close range; the victim remains in critical condition at a hospital.
Ojwang had been arrested for allegedly criticising deputy police chief Eliud Lagat in his online comments. Lagat has opted to “step aside” during the inquiry into Ojwang’s death, but demonstrators are demanding his complete resignation and charges against him.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) reported on X that it had “approved murder charges against six individuals,” which includes three police officers and three other accused, who appeared before Nairobi’s Kibera High Court on Monday.
Earlier this month, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority revealed that 18 individuals had died in police custody over the past four https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya_Finance_Bill_protestsmonths.
Ojwang’s passing occurs during a critical period as Kenya prepares to observe the anniversary of large Gen Z-led protests against President William Ruto’s administration last year, which falls on Wednesday.
On Monday, a government spokesperson stated that there would be “no protests” on June 25, urging citizens to remember the day at home instead.
