Nairobi Central Police Station OCS, Samson Kiprotich Taalam, will remain in police custody until Wednesday, June 18, 2025, as the Milimani Law Courts prepare to rule on an application by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) seeking to detain him for 21 days.
The request aims to allow completion of investigations into the death of Albert Ojwang, who allegedly died while in custody at the Central Police Station.
Taalam was presented before the court under a miscellaneous application filed by IPOA, which argues that the extended detention is necessary to gather further evidence and prevent any interference with ongoing investigations.
IPOA’s Senior Assistant Director of Investigations, Abdirahaman Jibril, told the court that only preliminary evidence had been collected so far. According to Jibril, initial findings suggest that OCS Taalam and others still at large may have orchestrated a cover-up following the alleged assault of Ojwang while in custody.
“The brief evidence gathered so far indicates that the respondent and others are suspected of directing and planning a cover-up of the brutal assault of the deceased,” IPOA stated in the court documents.
Jibril emphasized that keeping Taalam in custody would prevent him from interfering with witnesses and ensure his safety, noting public anger over the incident. He also argued that releasing Taalam at this stage could pose a risk to his life and allow him to flee the court’s jurisdiction.
However, Taalam’s defense team, led by lawyers Danstan Omari, Cliff Ombeta, and Felix Kiprono Keaton, strongly opposed the application. They argued that IPOA had not provided sufficient grounds to justify the 21-day detention request.
“The prosecution has failed to present any convincing reason to support claims that our client would interfere with investigations,” the defense team told the court.
Keaton reminded the court that Taalam had voluntarily presented himself to authorities and is presumed innocent until proven guilty. He added that Taalam is not a flight risk, with known residences in both Nairobi and Eldoret.
Keaton further urged the court to reject IPOA’s application and instead grant Taalam release on a cash bail of Ksh7,000, citing that as the amount his client could afford.
The court is expected to deliver its ruling on the detention request on Wednesday.
