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The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has petitioned the Milimani Law Courts for permission to detain Central Police Station OCS Samson Talam for 21 days as investigations into the death of blogger Albert Ojwang continue.
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In its application, IPOA says the extended detention is necessary to complete the inquiry into Ojwang’s suspected murder, which allegedly occurred while he was in police custody at Nairobi Central Police Station.
The application is backed by an affidavit from Senior Assistant Director of Investigations Abdirahman Jibril, who is based at IPOA headquarters.
IPOA has requested that Talam be held at Lang’ata Police Station or any other location the investigation may require. The authority also seeks court approval to conduct forensic analysis on the officer’s mobile phones and other electronic devices seized during his arrest.
According to IPOA, the devices have yet to undergo forensic processing, and the time since Talam’s arrest has been insufficient to conclude the complex probe.
The authority is conducting Inquiry No. IPOA/INV/476/2025 and believes Talam’s continued detention will assist in uncovering the full circumstances surrounding Ojwang’s death.
Jibril’s affidavit states that Talam was arrested on June 13, 2025, by DCI officers and subsequently handed over to IPOA. He was booked at Lang’ata Police Station under OB No. 50/13/6/2025 at 6:05 p.m., with officers informing him the arrest was linked to the murder investigation.
Preliminary findings suggest that Talam and others—some of whom are yet to be apprehended—may have been involved in orchestrating, executing, and attempting to cover up the fatal assault on Ojwang in the station’s cells.
Talam’s legal team argues that his arrest was premature and violated due process. They further claim he was not on duty at the time of Ojwang’s detention, having assigned responsibilities to his deputy.
Three other officers are also in custody over the incident, while a total of 23 individuals—comprising 17 police officers and six civilians—have been questioned either as suspects or witnesses.
