Key witness in Albert Ojwang' murder case dies before giving testimony

Stephen Maina Nderitu, a police officer attached to the OCS office during the controversial death of Albert Ojwang, died on Monday hours after leaving work. 

Nderitu collapsed and died, with a postmortem report citing acute ulcers, cardiac arrest, and depression as the causes of death.

His death comes at a critical juncture in the murder trial, where he was expected to testify and provide crucial links between the then OCS Samson Talam and the tampering of the CCTV hard drive at Central Police Station. 

Investigators say his statement, recorded on May 18, 2025, had already outlined sensitive details that could have tightened the chain of accountability in the case.

The sudden loss of Nderitu now casts a shadow over the trial, stripping the prosecution of a key witness whose testimony was meant to stitch together fragmented accounts of Ojwang’s final hours. 

His burial is scheduled for Friday next week.