BWOMANGA: Now that autopsy results are out, what exactly killed Albert Ojwang?

Albert Ojwang was a teacher, a father, and a voice that resonated across social media. On June 7, 2025, he died in police custody at Nairobi's Central Police Station--just one(1) hour after being booked.

The police claimed he had hit his head against a wall. But the autopsy told a different story.

Conducted by a team of five(5) pathologists, the postmortem revealed multiple injuries across Ojwang's body--on his head, trunk, and limbs.

There were hematomas on the scalp, bruises on the back, and defensive wounds on his hands.

"These injuries are consistent with a struggle," said lead pathologist Dr Bernard Midia.

“They are not self-inflicted.”

The autopsy was delayed after Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor recused himself due to a familial connection with the late Ojwang.

Activists and supporters gathered outside City Mortuary, demanding transparency and accountability. The family, backed by legal counsel and human rights groups, is calling for an independent investigation and the prosecution of those responsible.

Dr Midia confirmed that additional forensic samples have been collected. These, along with CCTV footage and evidence recovered by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), could be pivotal in uncovering the truth.

Police had initially claimed that Ojwang died after hitting his head on a wall in his cell. But the autopsy revealed bleeds and hematomas on all sides of his head, as well as defensive wounds on his hands and back, suggesting he tried to protect himself from an assault.

Ojwang's father, Mr Meshack Opiyo, who had personally handed his son over to police after being told there was a warrant for his arrest, is devastated.

"I trusted the system to handle my son with dignity. I never imagined I was handing him over to his death," Mr Opiyo said, his voice breaking with emotion.

Ojwang's widow, Ms Linet Achieng, holding their infant child, added, “Albert was a kind man, a teacher, a father. He had dreams for our family. Now I have to explain to our child why their father never came home.”

His mother, Ms Beatrice Atieno, expressed disbelief.

“They said he hit his head on a wall. But how do you explain the bruises on his back? On his arms? My son was beaten. He was killed," Ms Atieno said.

Albert Ojwang's death is not just a personal tragedy--it's a national reckoning. His story has become a symbol of the urgent need for police reform and accountability in Kenya.

And this is where the betrayal cuts deepest. In 2022, during his campaign, President William Ruto vowed to end police brutality, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.

His coalition pointed fingers at the previous administration under Uhuru Kenyatta, especially during the River Yala saga, where dozens of bodies were found dumped in the river, many believed to be victims of state violence.

Ruto's team promised a clean break. They promised justice. But three(3) years later, the same horrors persist.

In my view, the Ruto administration, which formed a broad-based government and reiterated its commitment to ending these abuses, has failed to deliver. The abductions haven't stopped. The brutality hasn't stopped. The killings haven't stopped. And Albert Ojwang's death is one of many that have occurred in the recent past--each one a painful reminder of promises broken and lives lost.

The government must come forward. It must tell the truth. Because silence, in the face of such violence, is complicity.

By Nyangenya Bwomanga- Eminent Peace Ambassador - UN