Extra security is in place for the Nairobi Central OCS Samson Talam over fears he could be harmed while in custody over the jailhouse death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang.
Talam was detained at Lang'ata police station in Nairobi.
Ironically, Talam had five years ago served as a deputy OCS at the same station. Some of those taking care of him were and are still his juniors.
His lawyer Danstan Omari said he was in good spirits ahead of his planned arraignment on Monday.
Sources said police authorities had ordered that access to him at the cells be restricted.
This followed fears “someone mischievous” may harm him and the same be blamed on the service. Only his lawyers and family were allowed to see him.
Police said Talam was arrested Friday. His lawyers said he presented himself to the police.
Another female police officer targeted in the case was found and questioned for the better part of Friday.
Talam's legal team has argued he was off duty at the time of the incident.
But witnesses, who include civilians and police at the station, have mentioned him and insisted he visited the scene.
Ojwang' was arrested in his Homa Bay home over claims of false publication and brought to Nairobi where he was booked and later clobbered to death.
He died on June 7 hours after his arrest and detention.
Those in custody include two police officers and a technician who allegedly tampered with the CCTV camera system at the station.
The detectives backing IPOA arrested a technician who installed a CCTV camera system at the station.
The technician is the same one who was called to allegedly delete and format the system after Ojwang's death on June 8.
He has allegedly admitted his involvement in the mission and added he was paid Sh3,000 for the work.
IPOA was allowed to detain police officer James Mukhwana for a week as investigations continue into the death of Ojwang. Mukhwana was arrested on June 12.
In an application filed at the Milimani law courts, IPOA said initial findings indicate Mukhwana, together with other officers yet to be arrested, was involved in the fatal assault on Ojwang' inside the cells at Central police station.
IPOA further alleged a cover-up attempt, claiming CCTV footage at the station may have been tampered with to conceal the incident.
IPOA is also awaiting forensic analysis of mobile phones linked to the suspects and results from the government chemist to aid the probe.
Meanwhile, new details emerged on what police did after removing the body of Ojwang' from the cells to Mbagathi Hospital in Nairobi.
This has raised questions on the conduct of police officers involved in the final moments of Ojwang'.
The Internal Affairs Unit of police is separately investigating their conduct.
This is after a new CCTV footage shows the events of when Ojwang' was taken to Mbagathi Hospital.
The 40-minute surveillance footage from the hospital shows a police Land Cruiser pulling into the Mbagathi Hospital compound at exactly 1.35 am on June 8.
Three officers were on board, two alighted almost immediately and were seen conversing before walking towards the emergency wing.
The third officer, the driver, followed behind slowly. Before reaching the casualty area, one officer received a phone call, prompting the others to follow him back outside.
For three minutes, the officers stood outside, appearing engaged on their phones, while Ojwang' remained unattended in the rear of the police van. Despite having ostensibly been brought to the hospital as a person in need of urgent medical care, no one checked on Ojwang'.
At 1.40 am, two of the officers walked back to the hospital, seemingly in search of medical personnel. They emerged six minutes later with a stretcher.
They headed directly to the vehicle and, with the help of a hospital security guard, began moving Ojwang. It took an additional 10 minutes to place him on the stretcher and wheel him into the hospital.
The footage shows Ojwang' was finally admitted into the casualty ward at 1.59 am, a full 24 minutes after police had arrived.
Ten minutes later, medical personnel confirmed he had been brought in dead.
The Mbagathi Hospital incident report later indicated that Ojwang' was unresponsive, had no cardiac activity and his entire body was cold. He had visible facial injuries, swelling and a cut at the back of his head, consistent with prior trauma.
At 2.10 am, officers were captured wheeling Ojwang’s body out of the hospital.
Five minutes later, the police vehicle left Mbagathi Hospital and proceeded to City Mortuary, where the body was formally received and later identified by Ojwang’s family.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding Ojwang’s arrest, detention and eventual death are ongoing.
