President William Ruto has broken his silence on the death of blogger Albert Ojwang while in custody and directed the police to fully cooperate in the investigations.
In a statement shared by State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, Ruto ordered the National Police Service to work with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) in efforts to uncover the circumstances surrounding the death.
"I therefore call on the National Police Service to fully cooperate with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority and to take every necessary measure to facilitate a swift, transparent, and credible investigation into the death of Ojwang," Ruto stated.
"As we mourn his passing, let us patiently but vigilantly follow the progress of the investigations without making premature judgements or drawing conclusions that could compromise the process and its outcome," he added.
Furthermore, Ruto maintained that he expects the agencies to provide him with a full update on what transpired and the actions taken.
"I fully expect that the truth about what happened to Ojwang will be established in due course, and that justice will be served."
The Head of State has also issued a warning to the police over the failure to ensure the safety of Ojwang while in their custody. According to him, it should be the responsibility of the NPS to ensure that whenever they take a person into custody, they should assume responsibility for that individual's safety.
"It must be borne in mind by every member of the National Police Service that whenever they take a person into custody, they assume a tremendous responsibility for that individual's safety, security, and well-being, and must make every effort to discharge this duty conscientiously and without fail," Ruto noted.
While reflecting on his earlier decision to grant financial and institutional autonomy to the police service, President Ruto reiterated that the move was aimed at enhancing professionalism, effectiveness, and accountability within the force.
He maintained that the service must therefore rise to the challenge of firmly dealing with crime and lawlessness, while also eradicating misconduct and unprofessional behaviour within its ranks.
Additionally, Ruto sought to disassociate himself from any operational crackdown on the late Ojwang, revealing that he was shocked to learn about the circumstances surrounding the death.
He further lashed out at the police, stating: "This tragic occurrence, at the hands of the police, is heartbreaking and unacceptable. I strongly condemn the actions and omissions, including any negligence or outright criminality, that may have contributed to his untimely death."
Earlier, the influencer's death took a new twist after the IPOA revealed that critical CCTV footage from the Central Police Station OCS's office had been tampered with. The authority's Deputy Chairperson, Ann Wanjiku, made the revelation while appearing before the Senate.
