Leaked Phone Call Captures Albert Ojwang’s Last Known Communication Prior to Death in Detention
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has confirmed that all officers on duty at Nairobi Central Police Station during the time social media influencer Albert Ojwang was held have been arrested. This comes after Ojwang’s death under unclear circumstances while in police custody.
Albert Ojwang, a digital content creator on platform X (formerly Twitter), was arrested on Sunday June 8, 2025 in Homa Bay and taken to Nairobi Central Police Station. Police say Ojwang died while in custody after allegedly striking his head against the walls of his cell.
In a statement issued after the incident, the National Police Service said the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) had launched an investigation into the death. Police claimed Ojwang was alone in his cell at the time of the incident.
However the sequence of events leading to Ojwang’s death has come under scrutiny after an audio recording of a phone call he made to a friend shortly after his arrest surfaced. In the call, Ojwang expressed fear for his safety while in police custody, saying he had not been told of any charges and was waiting for clarification from authorities.
During the call, Ojwang asked: “Have you ever been arrested? … How is it? I have never experienced this before.” His friend tried to reassure him, saying: “There will be challenges here and there, but you will be fine. I have been to Industrial Area and it’s one of the worst police stations in Nairobi, so you will be okay.” In the last part of the call, Ojwang asked: “Will I be safe here?” and his friend replied: “Remand is safe.”
After Ojwang’s death and the public outcry that followed, the Inspector General of Police confirmed the arrest of the Officer Commanding Station (OCS), the duty officer and all other officers on shift during Ojwang’s detention. Kanja said the arrests are part of an internal administrative process to allow independent investigations to proceed without interference.“The arrest of the officers is to allow the investigation by IPOA and other agencies to proceed smoothly,” Kanja said in a statement from the Office of the Inspector General.
IPOA has received the incident report and a preliminary inquiry has begun. IPOA says it is treating the matter as death in custody as per Section 25 of IPOA Act and will conduct autopsy, visit the detention facility and interview witnesses.
The list of officers arrested, their ranks and positions at the time of the incident has not been released. The Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) under the National Police Service has been instructed to cooperate fully with IPOA and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Ojwang’s body has been taken to City Mortuary pending a government pathologist’s post-mortem. IPOA has assured the public that its findings will be made public as per the police oversight laws.
Investigations continue.
Also Read: IG Kanja Interdicts Police Officers Linked to Albert Ojwang Custodial Death
Leaked Phone Call Captures Albert Ojwang’s Last Known Communication Prior to Death in Detention