IG Douglas Kanja has apologized to Kenyans after NPS statement that X blogger Albert Ojwang' died of Suicide. Photo: NPS.
The Inspector General of Police (IG) Douglas Kanja has apologized to the nation on behalf of National Police Service (NPS), after the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), ruled out that X blogger Albert Ojwang’ died by suicide.
While appearing before the Senate Committee on Security on Wednesday, 11, Kanja apologized to the nation about the report by NPS, that the deceased hit himself on the walls of the cell he was detained at Central police Station, after he was arrested by officers attached to Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
“It is true that going by the report that we have gotten from IPOA that it is not true that he hit himself against the wall but that was the report we had from the word go, I tender my apology on behalf of the National Police Service because of that information,” Kanja remarked.
Kanja further confirmed that after the arrest, Ojwang’ confirmed to his family that he arrived safely at Central Police Station, and was fine, and however, joined the list of leaders who have condemned the death of Ojwang’ in the police cell.
“It is not right to lose them in a police cell. When he arrived from Homabay, he was given an opportunity to call his family back home, and indicated that he had reached at Central Police Station safely and he was safe. That confirms that when he reached Central Police Station he was right by his own statement to his family,” Kanja explained.
His apology comes as former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has called for immediate reforms in the criminal justice, as the officers that arrested the deceased blogger not only violated the right of Ojwang’ on fair arrest and trial, but disregarded his fundamental right to life.
He called on the government to ensure al officers implicated in the murder of Gen Zs recently be held accountable, as well as the officers involved in the death of Ojwang’, regardless of their position. Additionally, President William Ruto has called on Kenyans to be calm, as investigative team continues with the process, to avoid compromising the outcome of the investigation.
