Protected witness in Ojwang murder case dies before testifying

A police officer identified as a protected witness in the murder case of Albert Ojwang has died before he could testify, potentially complicating the prosecution’s efforts to establish what happened to key CCTV evidence at Central Police Station.

Stephen Maina Nderitu, who was attached to the office of the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) at Central Police Station, died on Monday, September 7, after reportedly collapsing shortly after leaving his workplace.

A postmortem examination cited acute ulcers, cardiac arrest and depression among the reported causes of death.

Nderitu had been identified by investigators as a key witness in efforts to establish a possible link between former Central Police Station OCS Samson Talam and the alleged tampering with the station’s CCTV hard drive.

Investigators said Nderitu recorded a statement on May 18 containing sensitive information concerning events at the station following Ojwang’s death. He was expected to shed light on the handling of CCTV recordings and help establish the chain of accountability surrounding the surveillance evidence.

His death comes as the prosecution continues presenting evidence in the high-profile murder trial.

The case has already heard evidence suggesting that Ojwang was alive and responsive when he was brought to Central Police Station but was later removed from the facility while unresponsive.

IPOA Head of Forensics Joshua Mutua has also testified on CCTV footage and alleged interference with the station’s surveillance system.

The prosecution previously recalled an officer from the station’s records office, who testified about the deletion of CCTV footage covering June 6 and 7, 2025. She told the court about the circumstances surrounding the deletion of the recordings on June 8.