Ojwang's death: Charles Owino pokes holes into police 'wall' theory

The head of the National Communication Centre Charles Owino has called for transparency and accountability following the mysterious death of a suspect who was reportedly in a cell alone at the time of his demise.

Owino expressed concern over inconsistencies in the initial report submitted by the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) to the Inspector General (IG) of Police.

 According to Owino, the IG initially relied on the situation report verified by the OCS and the Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD), as is standard procedure.

“The question is, how do you come up with a theory that someone hit their head if the individual was alone in the cell?” he posed.

 “Such a theory might make sense if there were others in the cell who could serve as witnesses, but in this case, there were none. That alone gives a bad image,’’ he added.

He emphasised the need for the truth to come out, warning that covering up such incidents could have serious long-term consequences.

“Sometimes, it is just better to tell things as they are because you may end up protecting someone who later destroys your whole institution,” he said.

The official stressed the importance of an autopsy in determining the actual cause of death.

“What I can say is that the autopsy will be very important,” he added.

In addition, Owino said that officers who were present at the report office and the cell sentry at the time must provide clear accounts of what transpired.

“We need to know if anyone gained access to the cells at night, and if so, who these individuals were,” he said.

This is the only police service we have, and it must maintain public trust. If any officer is involved in such a crime, then they must be dealt with and punished accordingly.”

The incident continues to raise questions about police accountability and detainee safety in custody.