Nairobi Police Chief Appears in Court Over Death of Albert Ojwang
NAIROBI – Nairobi Central Police Station Commander Samson Talam appeared in court Monday over the death of 31-year-old teacher and social media influencer Albert Ojwang.
Talam stood before Magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi at Milimani Law Courts, where he denied any role in the incident. Through his lawyer, he claimed he was not present at the station when Ojwang was booked.
According to his statement, Talam arrived later, only after being alerted that Ojwang was in critical condition.
Ojwang’s death has drawn national attention and sparked widespread public outrage. The case was thrust into the spotlight after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) named Talam as the lead suspect during a Senate inquiry.
DCI boss Amin Mohamed told the Senate committee that Talam had direct knowledge of events surrounding Ojwang’s detention. That testimony followed mounting questions over how the influencer died shortly after being taken into police custody.
Ojwang was arrested in Nairobi and brought to the Central Police Station. His condition deteriorated while in custody. He was later pronounced dead.
The court proceedings mark the first public appearance by the police officer since the DCI formally linked him to the case. No charges have been filed yet, and investigations are ongoing.
Court officials confirmed that the case is still at the preliminary stage, with detectives continuing to review station logs, surveillance footage, and officer duty records to establish the timeline of events.
The Judiciary has not issued a ruling or detention order. The matter is under review, with both the prosecution and defense expected to file additional submissions later this week.
Public reaction has been intense, with civil society groups calling for transparency and accountability in the ongoing investigation.
Ojwang’s family has demanded a full autopsy report and answers about his final moments in custody.
No ruling has been issued yet, and the court is expected to determine the next steps following the conclusion of the preliminary investigation phase.
