Witness tells Albert Ojwang Murder Trial Cental Police CCTV Footage Erased

A witness has told the high court in Nairobi that CCTV footage recorded at Nairobi Central Police Station during the period detainee Albert Ojwang died in custody was completely erased after he was instructed to format the station’s surveillance system.

The testimony was delivered on Monday, July 20 as prosecutors presented three witnesses in the murder trial of six police officers and civilians accused over Ojwang’s death.

The accused are former Officer Commanding Station Samson Kiprotich Talaam, James Mukhwana, Peter Kimani, John Ngige Gitau, Gin Ammitou Abwao, and Brian Mwaniki Njue.

The first witness, identified only as DAN under witness protection, said he installed the station’s CCTV system in 2024 and was summoned to Central Police Station on June 8, 2025. He testified that he was instructed to delete footage from two specific dates but explained that the system could not erase selected recordings. Instead, the entire Digital Video Recorder had to be formatted, wiping all stored footage.

DAN told the court he accessed the system using records office credentials, confirmed that footage for the requested dates existed, and then formatted the DVR after receiving approval from the OCS. He said he did not view any of the recordings before erasing them.

The witness said he was paid Sh3,000 by Talaam after completing the task.

The witness further told the court that he was later instructed to return with two replacement hard drives. However, upon arrival, he was informed they were no longer needed. He said he had already purchased the drives and was reimbursed Sh20,000 in cash.

The alleged destruction of digital evidence has become a central issue in the case, with prosecutors seeking to establish whether the officers and civilians intentionally interfered with surveillance records linked to Ojwang’s death in custody.