How 'Standard' covered the Ojwang' murder

The shocking murder of 31-year-old social media influencer Albert Ojwang’ from Homa Bay triggered a wave of outrage across the country.

The death of Ojwang’ at Central Police Station in Nairobi opened yet another painful chapter in the growing list of police brutality cases under President William Ruto’s administration.

A father of one. A teacher. A man with no criminal record had been arrested from his father’s home, transferred to Nairobi for questioning, held by the State overnight and by morning, he was dead.

From the moment Ojwang’s death in police custody was confirmed on June 8, 2025, Kenyans of all walks of life, human rights activists and journalists took up the mantle.

The Standard newspaper was among the media outlets that broke the story boldly reporting that the circumstances pointed to a possible brutal murder of Ojwang’ and passionately stayed on it not just to report but to pursue justice.

Our journalists dug beyond the official statements by the National Police Service and exposed the dark underbelly of a police service marred by impunity.

And what began as a whisper of another custodial death quickly erupted into a national outrage, forcing top police bosses onto the defensive and breathing fresh urgency into the ongoing outcry over police brutality.

Initially, police claimed he hit his head on a wall and maintained that position until appearance before Parliament. The people and the media refused to buy into the narrative, and when The Standard’s last week’s Monday’s headline “Killed by police” rolled off the press and into the streets, heads stated rolling.

Fury ignited among Kenyans, pressure piled on the National Police Service and a sustained call for justice refused to die off, thanks to the bold and passionate reporting.

“Killed by police” was not a question. It was a charge which was eventually vindicated by a postmortem examination report that revealed that Ojwang’ had been tortured and strangled, effectively shredding the police version to bits.

The country and international community again converged to call out the entire police leadership for the cold-blooded murder, by the same people sworn to protect.

The young people did not shy away from reminding the State that Ojwang’ was the latest victim of police brutality, calling for resignation of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Eliud Lagat who was adversely mentioned in the matter.

“Guys, we march for all these people tomorrow. They cannot keep getting away with it! How many cases never see the light of the day?” Hanifa, a human rights activist posted on X.

With growing evidence, including testimonies from witnesses, and emerging CCTV footage, the publication tightened its grip.

No names were spared. Top cops, including Inspector General (IG) of Police Douglas Kanja were boldly called out by the people, demanding answers and accountability.

Across the country, the front pages of The Standard became more than news — they became placards and young people, human rights defenders, and civil society groups protested demanding truth, justice, and the resignation of Lagat.

The bold reportage went after the system; examining past patterns of violence, mysterious deaths in custody, questioned Lagat’s leadership and links to a possible shadowy hit squad responsible for enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

“10 days of rage, maandamano back to back. If let this slide we are in consent of our oppression,” Dennis Muturi HM, a X user posted.

By Friday, public fury against Lagat was boiling over. Kenyans were tired and a brazen attempt to cover up the truth fuelled the anger. But still, Lagat did not budge.

But Lagat remained unmoved. Even as Ojwang’s father Meshack Opiyo broke down during media interviews, narrating how he worked in a quarry for two decades to educate his son.

The DIG was not moved  by the pain of a father who travelled more than 400 kilometres from Homa Bay County with a title deed in hand, hoping to secure freedom for his only child, only to return home without his son, but a death certificate.

A widow was left with questions and trauma. A three-year-old child now grows up fatherless. But Lagat, the man at the centre of the outrage, appeared immune to the public grief.

As the days unfolded, the unrelenting headlines fought for the silenced Ojwang’, whose name was on everyone’s lips, not just as a victim, but as a symbol of what was broken in the country’s justice system.

While the Independent Policing Oversight Authority moved to arrest and investigate junior officers, scrutiny turned to the ‘big fish’.

Reports highlighted a familiar pattern of scapegoating junior officers while senior figures remained insulated from consequences.

Hard questions were asked. Why only fry the small fish? What about the commanders? Why was Lagat still in office?

Despite appearing before Parliament to explain Ojwang’s death, testimonies by top police bosses were riddled with inconsistencies.

IG Kanja gave a chronology of what happened, Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin stood by his officers’ version of events. They gave convoluted timelines and inconsistent explanations. Kenyans still had no clarity. No closure.

The public demanded truth. They demanded that Lagat resign.