The Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya) has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the death of Albert Omondi Ojwang in police custody, calling the incident a “grave indictment” of Kenya’s law enforcement and justice systems.
Ojwang, a teacher and digital activist, was reportedly arrested in Kakot, Homa Bay County, over a social media post critical of the government.
He was transferred nearly 350 kilometers to Central Police Station in Nairobi, where he died the following day from suspected head injuries. Police claim he injured himself by striking a wall an explanation ICJ Kenya has termed “implausible and unacceptable.”
“The right to life is sacrosanct, enshrined in Article 26 of the Constitution. From the moment of his arrest, Mr. Ojwang was under the State’s custody and its full responsibility,” read part of the statement released by ICJ Kenya.
The jurists’ organization expressed deep condolences to the family of the deceased and all Kenyans demanding justice, emphasizing that Mr. Ojwang was denied basic constitutional rights, including being brought before a court within 24 hours as required under Article 50(1).
ICJ Kenya also raised alarm over what it called the reemergence of “Kamata Kamata Fridays” a pattern where arrests are deliberately made on Fridays or just before public holidays, prolonging pre-trial detention.
The organization questioned why Ojwang was not held at a local Homa Bay police station, instead being transported to Nairobi where he died under suspicious circumstances.
In a comprehensive list of demands, ICJ Kenya called for:
Immediate and Independent Investigations: Led by IPOA and KNCHR, in accordance with international human rights protocols, including the Minnesota Protocol.
Full Public Disclosure: Including the release of post-mortem findings, detention logs, and hospital records under witness protection guidelines.
Operationalization of the Coroners Service Act, 2017: ICJ Kenya urged Parliament to activate the long-dormant law to allow independent investigations into deaths in State custody.
Zero Tolerance for Custodial Killings: Calling for criminal prosecutions rather than mere disciplinary actions for police officers found responsible.
Institutional Reform and Civic Education: The organization urged a full restructuring of the justice system and mandatory human rights-based training for law enforcement officers.
“Law enforcement must not act as judge, jury, and executioner. Mr. Ojwang’s death must be a national reckoning. The routine killing of young Kenyans must never become acceptable or go unpunished,” the statement continued.
ICJ Kenya also linked Ojwang’s death to a broader and worrying trend of State-sanctioned suppression of digital activism and political dissent.
“This isn’t only about one life lost. It is about a disturbing pattern where free speech and criticism of government are met with force, arrest, and death,” the jurists warned.
The organization concluded by urging Parliament, the Judiciary, and all actors in the justice chain to speak out, act decisively, and ensure such abuses are never normalized in a democratic society.
“Justice denied is a betrayal of our Constitution,” ICJ Kenya declared.
The statement has amplified calls from civil society and the public for accountability and justice, as outrage over Ojwang’s death continues to mount across the country.
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