A police station in western Kenya was set ablaze Thursday as thousands of protesters marched with the coffin of a teacher who died in custody last month.
Albert Ojwang, 31, was found dead in a Nairobi police cell after his arrest in Homa Bay County, igniting public outrage over police brutality.
Videos circulating online show a large crowd carrying Ojwang’s coffin through Homa Bay, where his burial was scheduled for Friday, AFP could not independently verify the footage.
During the funeral procession, protesters stormed and set fire to Mawego police station, where Ojwang was initially detained before transfer to Nairobi.
Authorities first claimed Ojwang died by suicide, but government pathologists later confirmed he had been killed while in custody.
Ojwang was arrested for allegedly criticising Deputy Police Chief Eliud Lagat in online posts, sparking calls for accountability.
Lagat stepped aside during the investigation, yet protesters demanded his full resignation and legal charges against him.
Six individuals, including three police officers, have been charged in connection with Ojwang’s murder.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority reported that 18 people have died in police custody across Kenya in the past four months.
The tragic death of Albert Ojwang has intensified national debates about police misconduct and the urgent need for reform.
This incident has become a powerful symbol of the struggle against abuse of power within Kenya’s law enforcement.
