James Mukhwana Regrets Albert Ojwang's Death, Says He Wasn't Supposed to Die: "It's Painful"
- The killing of blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody was a culmination of a pre-planned assault aimed at 'disciplining' him
- Ojwang was arrested by five Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers who were acting on a complaint made against him by DIG Eliud Lagat
- Police Constable James Mukhwana, who booked Ojwang at Central Police Station, said the assault was sanctioned by Lagat through Central Police OCS, Samson Talaam
Nairobi - The police officer who was charged with overseeing the assault of blogger James Ojwang at Central Police Station has reflected on things and now regrets the tragic events on June 7.
Source: Facebook
Police Constable James Mukhwana was the sentry in charge at the station during the detention of Ojwang.
The 31-year-old had been arrested in his native home in Lida Centre, Homa Bay county, by five Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers who were acting on a complaint of defamation made against him by Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat.
He was taken to the station after arriving moments past 9pm.
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Why Albert Ojwang's assault was planned
In his signed dossier to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Mukhwana revealed that Ojwang's assault had been pre-planned and that he was allegedly directed by OCS Samson Talaam on how to carry out the plot.
According to Mukhwana, the attack on the blogger was sanctioned by the DIG, whose complaint instigated the ill-fated arrest.
The officer narrated that the attack was aimed at punishing Ojwang for the defamatory posts allegedly made on X against Lagat through an account linked to him (Ojwang).
The instruction was that the blogger be assaulted to sustain injuries that would see him get admitted to the hospital.
Death had not been anticipated in the grand scheme.
"I called the OCS CI Talaam and asked him the extent of the beating that was needed. He told "mtu apiwe apate majeraha apelekwe hospital (let him be beaten, sustain injuries and be taken to the hospital)," Mukhwana claimed.
How PC Mukhwana condoled with Ojwang's family
In his summation, Mukhwana said Ojwang shouldn't have died.
He claimed that despite his objections, he was pressured to organise the assault at the directive of DIG Lagat through the OCS.
Source: Original
Mukhwana expressed his sympathies to Ojwang's family, sharing in their grief and pain.
"This is the truth of what happened. Ojwang was not meant to be killed but to be disciplined as per the instruction of the OCS CI Talaam, who was also under the instruction of DIG Lagat, as per the instruction he gave me. I am sorry for the death of Ojwang; May God help them to heal from the loss. I know it is painful," he said.
What you need to know about Albert Ojwang's murder
- The 31-year-old teacher and father of one was arrested on June 7 for allegedly defaming Lagat with vitriolic X posts.
- He was traced to his father's home in Lida Centre, Homa Bay county, and driven to Nairobi in a Subaru Forester.
- Autopsy results indicated Ojwang was assaulted, evidenced by the compression marks on the neck, residues of blood in the mouth, nose and ears, a gash at the back of his head and bruises across the body.
Who killed Albert Ojwang?
TUKO.co.ke previously reported that Ojwang was killed by four inmates at Nairobi's Central Police Station.
In his dossier to IPOA, PC Mukhwana revealed that the attackers were contracted for KSh 2,000 and alcohol to carry out the lethal task.
Earlier claims had indicated that Ojwang was tortured to death at Karura Forest.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
