Angry youth protesting against Ojwang’s death chase Homa Bay Woman Rep Bensuda from Nairobi City Mortuary
Homa Bay Woman Representative Joyce Atieno, known as Bensuda, was caught up in a tense confrontation at Nairobi’s City Mortuary after angry youth, gathered to demand justice for Albert Ojwang’s death, forced her out.
The confrontation, unfolding on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, came moments after a postmortem report revealed details about the death of Albert Ojwang. Atieno, present to console Ojwang’s grieving family, faced a hostile crowd demanding her immediate exit.
The chaotic scene, marked by chants of justice for Albert Ojwang, underscored the raw anger and mistrust fueling protests over Ojwang’s death in police custody.
Outrage
Ojwang was arrested on June 7 in Homa Bay for posting defamatory information about Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat online.
Transferred over 350 kilometres to Nairobi’s Central Police Station, he was found unconscious in his cell on June 8 and declared dead at Mbagathi Hospital.
Police claimed he died after hitting his head against a cell wall.
Ojwang’s death has ignited a firestorm, with his family and supporters accusing authorities of targeting vocal critics, amplifying calls for accountability.
A postmortem conducted on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at Nairobi Funeral Home, led by forensic pathologist Bernard Midia alongside family representative Mutuma Zambezi, revealed Ojwang suffered head injuries, neck compression, and widespread soft tissue trauma.
Autopsy exposes assault
Defensive marks on his hands and injuries across his upper limbs and trunk pointed to assault, not self-inflicted harm. “The bleeds were spaced across the scalp, face, and back of the head, not consistent with hitting a wall,” Midia stated, dismissing the police’s account.
The findings, corroborated by observers, have fueled demands for a transparent probe into Ojwang’s death.
Justice demands intensify
The autopsy’s revelations have deepened public distrust, with youth blocking roads near the funeral home and confronting Atieno, reflecting broader frustration with authorities.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is now investigating, collecting evidence like blood-stained clothing and CCTV footage. Ojwang’s family, backed by human rights groups, insists on swift justice, viewing his death as part of a pattern of silencing dissent..
