The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Hon. Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen, appeared before the Senate plenary to respond to a statement sought by Senator Eddy Oketch (Migori) regarding the death of Mr. Albert Omondi Ojwang while in police custody. He was accompanied by Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Deputy Chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) Ann Wanjiku Mwangi, Vice Chairperson of the National Police Service Commission Edwin Kiprono Cheluget, and Director of Criminal Investigations Mohammed Amin, following a directive by Senate Speaker Hon. Amason Jeffah Kingi.

Senator Oketch told the Senate that Mr. Ojwang’s death had triggered widespread grief and public outrage, after he sustained fatal head injuries while in police custody at the Central Police Station in Nairobi, following his arrest by police officers in Homa Bay County. He raised concerns over police brutality, abuse of authority, and a lack of immediate accountability, and sought an account of the circumstances surrounding the death, the status of investigations, and measures in place to prevent similar incidents.

In his response, Murkomen expressed deep sorrow, offering heartfelt condolences to Mr. Ojwang’s family. He acknowledged that police brutality remains a serious concern and affirmed that the government would spare no effort in ensuring justice. The Cabinet Secretary emphasized that while his Ministry provides policy direction, investigative powers lie with the Inspector General of Police and oversight bodies such as IPOA. He added that even he awaited answers from the Inspector General, as he had no authority to assign responsibility.

Inspector General Douglas Kanja presented a chronology of events leading to Mr. Ojwang’s death, while IPOA Deputy Chairperson Ann Wanjiku Mwangi informed the Senate that, acting on its own motion under the IPOA Act, the Authority had launched independent investigations into the incident on June 8, 2025. She reported that IPOA had visited and documented the scene, established contact with the family, supervised a scheduled post-mortem on June 9, 2025, and interviewed five DCI officers whose statements had been recorded. IPOA assured the House that the investigations remained independent and impartial, and that any findings would be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions should criminal culpability be established.

Murkomen reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law, assuring the Senate that any officers found responsible would face the full force of justice.