ODPP claim OCS Talaam hired technician who tampered with Central Police Station CCTV

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) has told the court that the Officer Commanding Station for Nairobi Central, Samson Talaam, is the one who hired the technician who tampered with the surveillance system at the station.

While requesting to detain Talaam after he was presented in court today, the prosecution said investigations into the tampering point to the OCS.

Investigations reveal that the respondent (Talaam), together with us, not before the court, hired a technician to interfere with the CCTV system at the police station in a bid to tamper with and interfere with the subsequent investigation,” the prosecution explained to the court.

According to the ODPP, the OCS engaged the services of the technician with the help of other suspects who are yet to be presented in court or arrested.

The OCS was presented in Court today, together with two other suspects, making the total number of suspects presented in court four.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is investigating the tampering of the CCTV, which is believed to have captured events leading to the murder of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang a week ago, while at the Central Police station.

It is claimed by IPOA that someone was called to switch off the CCTV, and later, a technician allegedly paid Sh3000 to tamper with the footage.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of the Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen today directing police reforms in all the police stations as investigations on the murder proceed.

Addressing the press today, Murkomen stated that all police stations across the country will have mandatory installation of fully functioning CCTV Cameras, a directive he says will be completed within two years.

“It shall be mandatory to equip police stations with CCTV surveillance to enhance transparency and accountability. All the police stations, currently standing at 1,209, shall have CCTV surveillance within the next two years,” the CS directed.

Murkomen said the surveillance systems will be under the custody of the Officer Commanding Station (OCS), who shall be held responsible in case they are found not functioning.

He further added that laws shall be proposed to criminalize tampering with the system.

“We shall be making proposals to Parliament to enact laws that criminalize tampering with CCTV cameras. The surveillance system shall be in the custody of the Officer Commanding Station (OCS), and the said officer shall be required to ensure that the system is always functional,” he said.

He said the government is finalizing the rollout of digital Occurrence books, which has been ongoing since the past regime.

According to the CS, the digital system will serve as a secure and tamper-proof platform to record complaints and police reports.