A key witness in the murder case involving Albert Ojwang has reportedly died in the latest development surrounding the ongoing trial.
The deceased has been identified as Stephen Maina Nderitu, a police officer who was attached to the Office of the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) when Ojwang died.
According to people familiar with the case, Nderitu collapsed and died on Monday, only hours after leaving his workplace.
A postmortem examination reportedly listed acute ulcers, cardiac arrest and depression as the causes of his death.
His death comes at a critical stage in the trial, as he had been expected to appear before the court and give testimony in the coming weeks.
Investigators had earlier recorded a statement from Nderitu on Monday, May 18, which reportedly contained sensitive information considered relevant to the case.
The statement was expected to provide investigators and prosecutors with details that could help establish the chain of accountability surrounding Ojwang's death.
Nderitu was also expected to play a key role in linking the then OCS in charge of the station to the alleged tampering with the CCTV hard drive.
The hard drive has remained a crucial piece of evidence in the case, with investigators hoping it could shed more light on what happened during Ojwang's final hours in custody.
With his death, the prosecution has lost a witness who was expected to testify on issues that could have helped clarify conflicting accounts surrounding the events of that night.
According to information shared with his family, Nderitu is scheduled to be buried on Friday, September 18.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) had lined up 28 witnesses to testify in the trial concerning Ojwang's death.
Ojwang died in June 2025 while being held in police custody at Nairobi Central Police Station.
The prosecution has maintained that the teacher was tortured and strangled while in custody. Prosecutors have also alleged that CCTV footage from the police station was deleted.
Meanwhile, six other witnesses connected to the case have reportedly been placed under tight protective custody after prosecutors raised concerns about a significant risk of interference.
Nderitu's death is expected to add a new dimension to the high-profile case, particularly given the role his testimony was expected to play in addressing questions surrounding the alleged destruction of CCTV evidence and the chain of responsibility for Ojwang's death.
