IPOA asks court to detain Central police OCS Talam for 21 days

Nairobi Central Police Station OCS Samson Talam was arraigned at Milimani Law Court on June 16, 2025. [Nancy Gitonga, Standard] Nairobi Central Police Station OCS Samson Talam will be held at Langata cells for two more days before the court determines whether it will grant a request by IPOA to hold him for 21 days. IPOA had requested the court to have Talam detained for 21 days to allow completion of investigations over links to the murder of teacher and social media influencer Albert Ojwang. Talam, who is a Chief Inspector of police, was arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts. Appearing before the Milimani Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi, OCS Taalam was, however, not charged with murder as IPOA filed an application seeking 21 days to continue detaining him at Lang'ata Police Station. "We seek that the OCS be held at Lang'ata Police or any other police station within the Republic of Kenya for the reason to enable the state through IPOA to continue and complete investigations into the murder of Ojwang'," state prosecutor Victor Owiti told the court. In an affidavit filed by IPOA, through its Senior Assistant Director of Investigations, Abdirahman Jibril, sought to continue holding the senior police boss who was arrested on Friday on grounds of his suspected involvement in the killing of the social media influencer. The authority claimed the evidence collected so far reveals that OCS Taalam was in constant communication with one of his junior officers, police constable James Mukhwana the cell sentry personnel who held the keys to the cells and thereby had access to where the deceased was detained, and where he was subsequently brutally assaulted and tortured, resulting in his death. "Preliminary investigations have revealed that the Respondent (OCS Taalam) was highly likely to have been involved in the planning, directing, coordination, and attempted cover-up of the murder of the deceased at Central Police Station," Jibril told the court. The DPP further informed the court that interviews with witnesses conducted by IPOA revealed the OCS was in constant communication with people both within and outside Central Police Station immediately before, during, and after the commission of the crime. It is suspected that this was mainly to plan the brutal assault on the deceased and to brief others on the outcome. Further, Prosecutor Owiti stated that on June 8, 2025, IPOA investigators found that the CCTV surveillance system installed in the OCS's office at Central Police Station had been interfered with. "OCS, together with other officers at the station, hired a technician to tamper with CCTV in a bid to conceal evidence of what happened to Ojwang'," the prosecutor stated The DVR power cable was disconnected, and DVR logs indicated that the operating discs had been changed and formatted on June 8, 2025, at 07:28:43 hrs and 07:32:29 hrs. "Preliminary investigations reveal that there is a high likelihood that the OCS, together with other persons who are at large, organised and facilitated the deliberate cover-up by tampering with the CCTV surveillance system to conceal what had transpired on the night of June 7 and 8, 2025, when the deceased was brutally assaulted and tortured to death, in order tos mislead any subsequent investigations into the matter," officer Jibril told the court. Prosecutor Owiti said it is believed that the OCS has other accomplices who were involved before, during, and after the gruesome murder of the deceased and who are yet to be apprehended. He argued that releasing the Respondent would jeopardise their arrests. "There is a need to ensure that the team of investigators is able to interview all witnesses, who include police officers from the station under the command of the Respondent. Hence, the release of the Respondent will definitely increase the likelihood of interference," Owiti informed the court. The court heard that preliminary investigations have revealed that the co-conspirators acted under the direct control, orders, and influence of the OCS and other officers at Central Police Station. "Considering the fact that the key persons under investigation are police officers wielding police powers and influence, and have engaged in a complex web of cover-up by employing the blue code of silence, the Applicant requires adequate time to conclude investigations. Hence, the release of the Respondent will increase the likelihood of interference with investigations and witnesses," Jibril stated. While seeking more time, he stated that he and his team of investigators are yet to record critical witness statements, conduct detailed witness interviews, and obtain crucial reports such as the scene-of-crime report-documents they still need to acquire. The court further heard that the gruesome murder of Ojwang' has elicited widespread public anger and outrage, leading to demonstrations which at times have turned destructive. As such, the safety and security of the OCS cannot at this point be guaranteed if released on bail. "Considering how the gruesome murder of the deceased was planned, executed, and the subsequent attempts to cover it up, the Applicant's team of investigators requires additional time to conduct exhaustive investigations," Owiti added. "Based on the issues raised herein above, and due to the seriousness of the offence, the OCS's temptations to flee the jurisdiction is high; hence, they are a flight risk," he said. "On the ongoing investigations, the Applicant requires an additional 21 days in order to complete investigations and coordinate with other Government Agencies." The court also heard OCS's phone had been confiscated by IPOA investigators and has been submitted for forensic examination. IPOA says that Ojwang' was arrested at Lida centre in Homabay county by DCI officers after Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat filed a complaint alleging that he had suffered continued false and malicious publication on an X account (formerly Twitter) with user name Pixel Pioneer. But Taalam and his junior officer James Mukhwana, in their petition seeking to stop their detention, investigation, or prosecution over the murder, stated that they were not on duty on the material day he died.

IPOA asks court to detain Central police OCS Talam for 21 days

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IPOA asks court to detain Central police OCS Talam for 21 days

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