Kenyan Police Officer Arrested Over Blogger’s Death in Custody

A Kenyan police officer has been arrested in connection with the death of 31-year-old Albert Ojwang in custody—a case that has ignited nationwide protests and sharpened public scrutiny of police brutality in the country.

Ojwang, who was detained after criticizing Deputy Inspector-General Eliud Kipkoech Lagat online, died last weekend under suspicious circumstances. Police initially claimed he fatally injured himself by hitting his head on a cell wall. However, a government pathologist later refuted that claim, stating the injuries were “unlikely to be self-inflicted.”

The arrest, confirmed by police spokesman Michael Muchiri on Friday, marks a major turn in a case that has fueled calls for reform and accountability. Five officers have already been suspended pending further investigation by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), though the watchdog has yet to comment publicly.

President William Ruto has since vowed to protect citizens from “rogue officers” and demanded swift justice. Still, critics remain skeptical, pointing to IPOA data indicating 20 deaths in police custody over just the last four months.

Ojwang’s death has become a rallying point in a country still raw from last year’s anti-government protests, where dozens were allegedly abducted or detained without charge for voicing dissent. Many of those individuals remain missing.