The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) asked a court to allow them to detain police officer James Mukhwana for 21 working days as investigations continue into the death of Albert Ojwang.
Ojwang died while in police custody at the Central police station.
In an application filed at the Milimani Law Courts, IPOA said initial findings indicate that Mukhwana, together with other officers yet to be arrested, was involved in the fatal assault on Ojwang’ inside the cells at Central Police Station.
IPOA further alleges a cover-up attempt, claiming that CCTV footage at the station may have been tampered with attempt to conceal the incident.
IPOA asked that the officer be held at Capitol Hill Police Station or any other facility, warning that releasing him could compromise the investigation.
IPOA said that there is a need for the officer to secure crucial police documents that are at the Central Police Station.
Mukhwana was arrested on June 12, and IPOA argued that releasing him at this point there would be a likelihood of interfering with the crime scene, evidence including critical documents.
IPOA is also awaiting forensic analysis of mobile phones linked to the suspects and results from the government chemist to aid the probe.
The detectives who had been asked by the IPOA to trace and arrest at least three police officers and two civilians said they were unable to find two of their colleagues.
They want them to surrender. They had recorded their statements with IPOA earlier on.
The developments came as some of the 17 police officers so far questioned in the saga went back to IPOA and changed their story.
They told the IPOA team they wanted to change their narrative and stated further on what they knew on the murder.
The cops, according to insiders, said the murder happened at the Central police cells. The police were looking for a riot baton that was used in the murder.
At least 23 people including 17 police officers have been questioned. The others are civilians who are deemed crucial and witnesses in the murder.
The detectives backing IPOA arrested a technician who installed a CCTV camera system at the station.
The technician is the same one who was called to delete and format the system after the murder of Ojwang.
He has admitted his involvement in the mission and added he was paid Sh3,000 for the work. A hunt on the missing suspects was ongoing Friday morning.
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