The tragic death of teacher Albert Ojwang in police custody has plunged Kenya into a relentless quest for truth and accountability. While grim details of his severe injuries and conflicting police narratives have dominated headlines, a new, equally disturbing revelation has emerged, casting a long, dark shadow over the integrity of the investigation: the alleged tampering with crucial CCTV footage at Central Police Station, the very facility where Ojwang drew his last breath.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), the very body tasked with ensuring police accountability, has unequivocally stated that the CCTV cameras and their recorded footage at Central Police Station, encompassing all events from when Albert Ojwang was booked into the station until his demise, have been interfered with. This act, a brazen obstruction of justice, directly hinders the investigations into the teacher's killing inside the facility. In a digital age where surveillance is meant to be a guarantor of transparency, the deliberate erasure of evidence is a chilling development.
This disturbing discovery quickly led to arrests. Police Constable James Mukwana (260950), attached to Central Police Station, was apprehended by IPOA and the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) and is now in custody at Capitol Hill Police Station. During his arraignment, court papers submitted by detectives laid bare the preliminary allegations: PC Mukwana, along with other suspects still at large, was "likely involved in the planning and execution" of Mr. Ojwang's killing, and, crucially, in "tampering with CCTV to attempt to cover-up what happened." The implication is stark: the very individuals under suspicion were allegedly orchestrating the destruction of the most vital evidence against them.
And now, the story takes an even more cynical turn. Following the court drama surrounding Mukwana, a 23-year-old technician has been arrested. This individual, whose identity is yet to be made public, allegedly received a paltry KSh 3,000 to interfere with the CCTV footage at Central Police Station. He was reportedly instructed to delete specific sections of footage believed to have recorded the critical moments between Ojwang's booking and his eventual removal from the station, reportedly already deceased.
For what's worth? KSh 3,000 to erase the digital record of an innocent life's demise? This figure is not just an insult to justice; it is a horrifying devaluation of human life and a stark indication of the systemic rot that allows such attempts at cover-up to occur. It speaks volumes about the lengths to which some are willing to go to conceal the truth, and the disturbing ease with which critical evidence can be made to disappear.
The tampering with CCTV footage is not a mere technicality; it is a direct assault on the pursuit of justice. It signals a desperate attempt to obscure accountability, protect perpetrators, and undermine the very institutions meant to provide oversight. This act of alleged digital vandalism, aimed at burying the truth, only strengthens the public's resolve and fuels the outrage. Kenyans, particularly the vocal youth of Gen Z, are demanding that despite these cynical efforts to manipulate evidence, the full truth must emerge. They will not be silenced, nor will their collective memory be tampered with.
The fight for justice for Albert Ojwang continues, now entangled in a desperate battle against a calculated cover-up. The arrests are a step, but they must be followed by a relentless pursuit of all those involved, regardless of rank. The truth, however deeply buried or digitally erased, must eventually come to light to ensure that such heinous acts are never tolerated and that justice for Albert Ojwang is not just a demand, but a certainty.
