The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has told Parliament that CCTV footage at Nairobi’s Central Police Station was deliberately erased just hours after the death of digital influencer Albert Ojwang in police custody.
While appearing before the National Assembly’s Security Committee on Thursday, IPOA Chairperson Issack Hassan revealed that logs from the digital video recorder (DVR) system showed hard drives were replaced on June 8, 2025, at 07:23:29 and 07:23:48, mere hours after Ojwang was booked at the station under OB number 136/7/6/2025 at 21:35 the night before.
“Somebody called someone to come and switch off a particular section, but he said he could only shut down the entire system. The DVR logs indicated that the operating discs had been changed and formatted,” Hassan disclosed.
IPOA now believes the formatting was a coordinated attempt to erase crucial surveillance footage linked to the circumstances of Ojwang’s death in custody.
Private Session Requested
Hassan said IPOA had already recorded statements from officers and civilians who were present at the station at the time. Given the sensitive nature of the evidence, IPOA requested a closed-door session with the committee.
“There is information we cannot reveal here in public, and we ask for a private session with the committee so that we can share that,” he added.
Committee Chairperson Gabriel Tongoyo agreed but asked IPOA to first brief the public with non-sensitive updates before proceeding behind closed doors.
Interference at OCS’s Office
The new revelations follow testimony from IPOA Vice Chair Anne Wanjiku, who told the Senate a day earlier that CCTV systems in the OCS’s office had also been tampered with. She ruled out suicide as a cause of death, citing an autopsy and preliminary probe findings.
“The autopsy report and our preliminary investigation rule out the theory of suicide,” said Wanjiku.
Wanjiku further revealed that IPOA was not notified by police about Ojwang’s death but learned about it through media reports and a police signal sent by the Inspector General of Police.
Senior Police Under Scrutiny
Inspector General Douglas Kanja, also appearing before the committee, said the investigation must include any officers implicated, including Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Samson Lagat.
“If the DIG is going to be mentioned, then definitely he will make a statement. I believe it is on that basis that he can step aside to allow for the completion of the investigation,” Kanja said.
Ojwang’s custodial death has sparked nationwide outrage and renewed calls for police accountability, with IPOA and Parliament both actively investigating the events surrounding his death.
