CCTV discs formatted, replaced on Sunday night after Ojwang’s death — IPOA tells MPs

IPOA chairperson Isaac Hassan told the National Assembly’s Security Committee that digital video recorder (DVR) logs showed the discs were changed and formatted on June 8, 2025, at 07:23:29 and 07:23:48 hours.

According to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Ojwang was booked at the Central Police Station under the Occurrence Book number 136/7/6/2025 at 21:35 hours on June 7, 2025.

Hassan said the move was part of a well-planned scheme to erase surveillance footage linked to the events leading to Ojwang’s death while in police custody.

“Somebody called someone to come and switch off a particular section, but he said he could only shut down the entire system,” Hassan told the committee.

He also disclosed that the CCTV hard disks had been replaced in what appeared to be a calculated scheme to conceal evidence.

“The DVR logs indicated that the operating discs had been changed and formatted on June 8, 2025, at 07:23:48 hours and 07:23:29 hours,’’ said Hassan.

He added that IPOA had made significant progress in its investigation, including recording statements from police officers and other individuals present at the station on the day in question.

Due to the sensitive nature of the findings, Hassan requested that the Gabriel Tongoyo-led committee allow a closed-door session to share further details.

“There is information we cannot reveal here in public, and we ask for a private session with the committee so that we can share that,” he said.

Committee chair Gabriel Tongoyo agreed but asked IPOA to first share non-sensitive updates before proceeding to the in-camera session.

The revelations come a day after IPOA vice chairperson Anne Wanjiku told the Senate that the authority had established interference with the CCTV systems at the OCS’s office and ruled out suicide as the cause of Ojwang’s death.

“One of the key findings was that the CCTV systems located at the OCS’s office had been interfered with,” Wanjiku said. “The autopsy report and our preliminary investigation rule out the theory of suicide.”

Wanjiku said IPOA only learned about the death through media reports and a police signal from the Inspector General. The authority quickly launched an investigation and has since accomplished several milestones.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has confirmed that Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat will step aside if he is implicated in the ongoing IPOA probe.

Speaking before the same committee on Thursday, June 12, Kanja said no one would be shielded from accountability.

“There is an ongoing investigation by IPOA, and every person whose name is mentioned as having played any role in the death of the late Albert Ojwang must record a statement and give their side,” said Kanja.

“If the DIG is going to be mentioned, then definitely he will make a statement. I believe it is on that basis that he can step aside to allow for the completion of the investigation.”

Ojwang’s death has sparked public outrage, with both Parliament and IPOA launching investigations amid growing calls for justice and police accountability.