Kenyan dies in custody after arrest for social media put up
Kenya’s unbiased police oversight physique has launched an investigation into the dying of a person who had been detained “for false publication”, the police have mentioned.
Albert Ojwang was arrested within the western city of Homa Bay after which pushed 350km (220 miles) to the capital, Nairobi, his father Meshack Opiyo advised journalists.
“Whereas in custody, the suspect sustained head accidents after hitting his head in opposition to a cell wall,” a police assertion mentioned. He was rushed to hospital “the place he was pronounced useless on arrival”.
The director of the Kenyan department of rights group Amnesty Worldwide advised the BBC that the dying of Mr Ojwang, described in reviews as a trainer and blogger, was “very suspicious”.
Amnesty mentioned in a press release that his dying “raises critical questions that have to be urgently, totally, and independently investigated”.
Senior police officer Stephen Okal is quoted by the Star newspaper as saying what occurred within the cell was “an tried suicide”.
It’s not clear what the cost of “false publication” referred to, however Mr Opiyo advised on-line information web site Citizen Digital that the arresting police officer mentioned “Albert had insulted a senior particular person on X”, the social media platform.
Referring to the circumstances of his arrest, Amnesty Worldwide Kenya director Irungu Houghton mentioned it was “fairly stunning” that Mr Ojwang was not booked in on the native police station after being detained, however was as a substitute taken on an extended journey.
He referred to as on the unbiased investigators to safe what he described as “the crime scene” on the police station in Nairobi.
The police mentioned that Mr Ojwang was “lawfully arrested”.
His detention and dying comes at a time of rising concern about how some authorities critics are being handled.
Final week, software program developer Rose Njeri – who created a instrument to assist individuals oppose a authorities finance invoice – was charged with violating a cybercrime regulation.