The trial over the death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang’ has taken a dramatic turn after a police officer identified as a key witness died at his Nairobi home. Corporal Stephen Maina Nderitu had recorded a statement detailing events surrounding Ojwang’s death and was expected to play an important role in the prosecution’s case.
Highlights
- Corporal Stephen Maina Nderitu died at his Nairobi home after leaving work.
- His statement reportedly contains details about accountability in the Ojwang’ case.
- Prosecutors are expected to seek admission of his statement as evidence.
- Six other witnesses have been placed under protective custody over interference concerns.
- The trial is scheduled to resume in December 2026.
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Key Witness Dies Before Testifying
The murder trial surrounding the death of Albert Ojwang’ has suffered a major setback following the death of Corporal Stephen Maina Nderitu.
Nderitu, who was attached to Central Police Station in Nairobi at the time of Ojwang’s death, reportedly collapsed at his home on Monday shortly after leaving work.
A postmortem examination attributed his death to acute ulcers, cardiac arrest and depression. His family has said it accepts the findings.
His Statement Could Still Feature in Court
Despite his death, Nderitu’s account could remain relevant to the ongoing proceedings.
Officials said the police officer recorded a statement on May 18, 2025, containing information considered important to establishing the chain of responsibility surrounding the case.
The prosecution is expected to ask the court to admit the statement as evidence even though Nderitu will no longer be available to testify in person.
Colleagues reportedly said the officer had appeared physically weak and under considerable stress in the period before his death, although they were unaware of what was affecting him.
Witness to Events at Central Police Station
Nderitu was reportedly on duty when Ojwang’ was being held at the Nairobi police station.
Investigators have identified him as a witness to alleged interference with CCTV recordings linked to the events surrounding Ojwang’s death.
The prosecution has previously alleged that Ojwang was tortured and strangled while in police custody and that footage from the station was subsequently deleted.
Senior Central Police Station officer Samson Talaam is among those facing murder charges in connection with the teacher’s death.
Witness Protection Concerns
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) had identified 28 witnesses for the trial.
Following concerns that witnesses could face intimidation or interference, six have reportedly been placed under heightened protection.
Nderitu’s death adds another layer of uncertainty to a case that has already attracted significant public attention and scrutiny over police accountability.
Ojwang died on June 7, 2025, while in police custody at Nairobi Central Police Station.
The proceedings are expected to continue in December 2026, with the court set to consider evidence from the remaining witnesses and other material presented by the prosecution.
Military Officer Also Dies After Collapsing During Exercise
Separately, a 59-year-old military officer died after collapsing while exercising along Thika Road in Ruiru, Kiambu County.
Warrant Officer I Thomas Mbaria Wachira, who worked under the Department of Defence, reportedly collapsed at about 9:30am on Monday.
A motorist who witnessed the incident stopped to assist and took him to Juja Road Hospital.
Medical personnel established that he was a military officer and arranged for him to be transferred to the medical facility at Kahawa Barracks.
However, Wachira was pronounced dead after arriving at the military facility.
His remains were later taken to a police station in an ambulance, where Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers examined the body.
Police said there were no visible injuries, with further investigations expected to establish the circumstances surrounding his death.
As the Ojwang’ case moves forward, the death of a witness expected to shed light on what happened inside Central Police Station leaves the court with one more difficult question: how much of his account can still help uncover the truth?
