Kenyan Newspapers, June 11: Albert Ojwang Was Picked Up by 3 Motorbikes

The newspapers on Wednesday, June 11, widely reported on the investigations into the death of blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody.

Elsewhere, the autopsy on the body of Ojwang showed he was tortured moments before his death.

1. The Standard

The newspaper reported on the events that preceded the death of blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody.

Ojwang was arrested on Saturday, June 7, at his father's home in Homa Bay.

The 31-year-old was picked up by six police officers who arrived in plain clothes aboard three motorcycles.

He was booked into a nearby police station before being processed for transfer to Nairobi.

At the centre of Ojwang's arrest was a complaint from the Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, who decried being defamed through a post allegedly done by the deceased.

He was driven to Nairobi and booked at the Central Police Station, where he died shortly after.

In their preliminary report, the police said Ojwang had injured himself fatally after hitting his head on the wall.

The report was translated as a cover-up gimmick.

The deceased's father, Meshack Opiyo, said the police informed him that his son would be safe in their hands.

2. Daily Nation

The newspaper reported on the findings of the autopsy conducted on the body of Ojwang.

The report revealed that he was severely beaten before he died, with the government pathologist saying he did not harm himself by hitting himself on the wall as police had claimed.

Speaking after the post-mortem examination of the teacher on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the Nairobi Funeral Home, lead pathologist Benard Midia said he and representatives of Ojwang’s family and other stakeholders agreed that Ojwang’s death was caused by external beatings.

“We found injuries to the head, signs of injuries to the neck and other parts of the body and legs,” said Midia.

"The injuries indicate that he was attacked. There were signs that he fought back from his attackers," he added.

Midia added that although it is difficult to determine when he sustained the injuries, they occurred within a short period of time.

"He had a brain bleed, he bled in other parts of his body. This shows that he did not hit himself, he added.

Ojwang's face was swollen, with blood seeming to have been oozing from his nose and mouth.

There were also multiple marks on the arm, indicating assault.

3. Taifa Leo

The newspaper reported on the pressure mounted on the leadership of the police regarding the death of Ojwang.

The National Assembly and the Senate piled pressure on DIG Lagat to resign, and also for President William Ruto to sack him and push for his prosecution.

The two houses summoned Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Police IG Douglas Kanja, and Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) chairman Isaack Hassan to shed light on the circumstances in which the blogger died.

Kasipul Kabondo MP Eve Obara sought a statement from the committee on internal security on what warranted Ojwang's transfer from Homa Bay to Nairobi.

Obara, Ojwang's area MP, decried her constituent's right being flouted even while in police custody, where he should have been safe.

4. People Daily

The newspaper reported on the appointment of the new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) team expected to preside over the 2027 General Election.

President William Ruto gazetted seven names of the chairman and commissioners who await swearing in to kickstart their duties.

However, the stumbling block lies in the High Court, where a trio of judges will decide on the validity of the recruitment process.

A voter and activist filed petitions seeking to have the process nullified, citing a lack of transparency.

The High Court judges will be hearing the case on June 23.

The president appointed Erastus Edung Ethekon to chair the commission; the commissioners are Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, and Fahima Araphat Abdallah.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke