The murder trial of teacher and blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang took a dramatic turn Tuesday when a protected prosecution witness led the Kibera High Court through CCTV footage captured at Nairobi Central Police Station on the fateful night of June 7 and 8, 2025.
The witness positively identified Police Constable Peter Kimani as the officer who was serving as the cell sentry on the material night, painting a clearer picture of who had control over access to the cells where Ojwang was being held.
As the footage played before Justice Diana Kavedza, the court watched Kimani moving through various locations within the station—including outside the cell block and at the station's main entrance.
The witness explained that under standard police procedures, the cell sentry is the only officer with the authority to grant or deny access to the police cells.
Those permitted entry may include investigating officers, suspects being booked into custody, and individuals delivering food to detainees.
Crucially, the witness told the court that the cell sentry also has the power to refuse entry to anyone seeking access and bears full responsibility for any incident occurring within the cell block while on duty.
But perhaps the most intriguing revelation came when the CCTV footage showed two unidentified men speaking with PC Kimani at the station's main entrance before proceeding further into the premises.
While the witness positively identified Kimani, she told the court that the identities of these two men have not yet been established. The court also viewed footage from different cameras positioned around the station, with the witness explaining what each camera captured and identifying key locations including the main entrance, corridors, and areas leading to the cells.
The footage was presented to help reconstruct the movements of officers and other individuals within the station on the night Albert Ojwang was detained.
This CCTV evidence forms a critical part of the prosecution's case as it seeks to piece together the sequence of events before and after Ojwang was taken into custody.
Earlier proceedings heard serious allegations that CCTV footage from the station had been deleted and that the station's Digital Video Recorder (DVR) was later formatted.
The prosecution alleges these actions were intended to interfere with evidence. Reports indicate that a technician was paid Sh3,000 to tamper with the system, and that the DVR logs showed the operating discs had been changed and formatted on June 8, 2025.
Former Nairobi Central Police Station OCS Samson Talaam, Police Constable Peter Kimani, Police Constable James Mukhwana, and three civilians are jointly charged with the murder of Albert Omondi Ojwang.
The three civilian co-accused are John Ngige Gitau, Gin Ammitou Abwao, and Brian Mwaniki Njue. All the accused have denied the charges, and the hearing continues before the Kibera High Court.
The case has drawn significant public attention, with the court previously denying bail to the accused, citing the great public interest in the matter and concerns that the police officers among them still wield considerable power and may interfere with witnesses.
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