Case Explained:This article breaks down the legal background, charges, and implications of Case Explained: Major cases and investigations that shook 2025 – Legal Perspective
As 2025 draws to a close, Kenya finds itself confronting a somber reality: a surge in high‑profile crimes and investigations stretching from terrorism to police accountability, corruption, and institutional reform.
The year has revealed persistent gaps in security, justice, and public trust, despite ongoing efforts to address them.
Data released in May 2025 by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) paints a worrying picture: in 2024, the Nairobi City Police Command recorded 9,717 reported crime cases — up from 5,844 in 2020.
The capital city, the report states, hit an all-time high of 11,108 reported cases in 2023.
Although nationwide total crimes dipped slightly in 2024 — from 104,842 to 101,220 cases — certain categories — notably offences involving police officers, criminal damage and other penal‑code offences — increased by 0.8 %, 36.7 % and 16 % respectively.
This trend underscores growing insecurity in urban centres such as Nairobi, and sets the stage for a year marked by high‑profile investigations, controversial court rulings, and widespread public anger as Kenya’s justice system and law‑enforcement agencies remain under pressure to deliver.
Police brutality and public outrage: the death of a blogger reignites protest
One of the most explosive and widely condemned case of 2025 was the death of social‑media influencer and former teacher Albert Ojwang, who died in the custody of the National Police Service (NPS).
Arrested in his home in Homa Bay following a complaint from the then‑Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat over alleged defamatory posts, Ojwang was transported to Nairobi and detained at the Central Police Station.
He was found dead two days later.
Police initially released a statement that claimed he died after “hitting his head on a cell wall.”
But a post‑mortem by government pathologists found evidence of “head injury, neck compression and other injuries spread all over the body,” consistent with torture — “too many soft tissue injuries,” which the pathologists said “point to assault.”
The case triggered nationwide outrage.
On June 12, 2025, hundreds of demonstrators poured into Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), chanting slogans such as “Justice for Albert.”
Tear gas and rubber bullets did little to deter the crowd, and protests spread beyond Nairobi.
At least two vehicles were torched, while civil society and activists invoked slogans under hashtags such as ‘Justice For Albert Ojwang’ and ‘Enough Is Enough.’
Senior officials expressed shock.
Several leaders condemned the killing as a grave injustice, warning that those responsible would face the law if found culpable.
“There must be individual criminal responsibility for the person who was involved in the killing of the slain teacher,” Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said.
In response, charges were approved against six individuals — including three police officers — over Ojwang’s murder.
As of early July 2025 funeral services for Ojwang drew thousands: in his hometown in Homa Bay, mourners swore they “will not rest until justice is done.”
Taken together, the Ojwang case has become emblematic of longstanding grievances of justice.
The case was not alone, as the tragic death of Boniface Kariuki highlighted the ongoing tension between law enforcement and civilians during periods of protest.
Kariuki, a young mask vendor, was killed amid demonstrations that followed Ojwang’s death.
While attending to his work during the protests in Nairobi’s Central Business District, Kariuki was allegedly shot on June 17 by a police officer, with a video capturing the moment at Point Bank quickly going viral, drawing widespread public attention and outrage.
He was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital for urgent medical attention, but despite efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries, the family confirmed.
The incident further fueled public anger, with calls for accountability echoing across social media and in street demonstrations.
Two officers were arraigned in court—one was exonerated, while the other, Klinzy Barasa, is still facing trial after being charged with murder in the High Court. He maintains he is innocent.
Families and advocates stressed the importance of ensuring that the investigation and subsequent trial were conducted transparently, emphasising the need for impartial judicial processes.
The government responded by initiating investigations into the incidents, and several senior police officers were placed under administrative review as inquiries unfolded.
Together, the deaths of Ojwang and Kariuki became emblematic of a year in which public protests, policing, and the pursuit of justice were intensely intertwined.
Yet, these are not isolated incidents. Other deaths in police custody have also been reported.
According to a report submitted to the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security by IPOA in June, several cases occurred between February 2025 and then, with the authority investigating 18 such deaths.
“These cases are being treated with utmost urgency and are at various stages of investigations,” Ipoa stated in its presentation to the committee.
The cases underscore broader concerns regarding the use of force during public demonstrations and the protection of citizens’ rights, while also highlighting the difficult balance security agencies face in maintaining public order.
Security agencies are tasked with enforcing the law and preventing violence, but the incidents reveal the need for proportionality, transparency, and accountability in the application of force to ensure that public safety and individual rights are both respected.
Terrorism and national security: the conviction over the 2019 Dusit hotel attack
But 2025 was not defined solely by police‑custody deaths. The fight against terrorism, long a national priority, also registered a milestone.
On May 22, a Nairobi court found two Kenyans, Mohamed Abdi Ali and Hussein Abdille Mohamed, guilty of facilitating the deadly 2019 attack on DusitD2 Complex, which had killed 21 people and left dozens more injured.
On June 19, the court handed them respective 30‑year sentences — an outcome that the prosecution described as a firm statement that the justice system will pursue not only perpetrators but those who enabled them.
The verdict offered a measure of closure to victims and survivors — including those who still bear the physical and psychological scars of that trauma.
Anti-graft cases
On the anti‑corruption front, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) registered some of its most consequential activity in years.
In its 2023/24 financial report, the commission disclosed the recovery of Sh2.9 billion in corruptly acquired assets and the averting of additional losses totalling the same amount through proactive investigations.
In its annual report, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) reported that it traced Sh16 billion in illegally acquired and unexplained assets.
The commission also reported receiving 2,207 credible complaints out of 5,171 corruption‑related reports, of which 42 percent involved bribery, while others concerned embezzlement, fraudulent disposal of public property, abuse of office, procurement irregularities, unexplained wealth and conflict of interest.
Several leaders featured prominently in ongoing investigations.
Among those scrutinised were county and national officials accused of mismanagement, abuse of office, and irregular financial dealings.
While some, like ex- Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal and his ex- Nairobi counterpart Evans Kidero, were eventually exonerated, others faced conviction and sentencing like former Kiambu boss Ferdinand Waititu.
Waititu was in February ordered to pay a Sh53.5 million fine or serve 12 years in prison after being found guilty of corruption-related charges. He has since appealed the ruling, and the case is currently ongoing.
Other senior leaders faced formal charges, ongoing investigations, or asset recovery proceedings during the year.
Among them were Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi and his counterparts from Trans Nzoia, Bomet, and Nyamira—George Natembeya, Hillary Barchok, and Amos Nyaribo.
They have all dismissed the allegations, with most terming them politically motivated.
To address longstanding delays in corruption adjudication, the Judiciary implemented new guidelines in 2025 mandating that corruption and economic‑crime cases in special magistrates’ courts be heard on a day‑to‑day basis, with pre‑trial conferences convened within 14 days and final rulings delivered within 60 days after case closure.
“Their primary aim is to enhance the processing speed of graft cases in these Courts. By implementing the guidelines, we will offer service delivery and public trust, improve institutional accountability, and use public resources effectively,” Chief Justice Martha Koome said.
The continuing fallout of the Shakahola Massacre
The trial of Paul Nthenge Mackenzie over the Shakahola massacre remains one of Kenya’s most disturbing cases of 2025.
Connected to the Good News International Church, the massacre saw hundreds, including children, reportedly starve or suffer abuse.
This year, the case advanced to the High Court in Mombasa, where parties shared their harrowing experiences during the trial, providing firsthand accounts of the trauma and suffering endured.
Cyber crime related cases
In 2025, Kenya witnessed an increase in cybercrime-related legal cases, particularly concerning hate speech and online incitement.
Prominent leaders, including Mumias East MP Peter Salasya and Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara, faced allegations of hate speech, which they have denied.
Activists and bloggers, such as David Mokaya and Ndiang’ui Kinyagia, were also targeted in similar cases, allegations which they have dismissed.
Notably, on October 15, President William Ruto assented to the Cybercrime and Computer-Related Offences Act, aimed at regulating digital conduct and curbing online offenses.
While the government maintains the law protects against cyberbullying and online harm, several litigants have contested it, citing concerns over potential restrictions on freedom of expression.
As 2025 draws to a close, Kenya’s legal and security landscape reflects a year of intense challenges and high-profile cases.
From the deaths of Albert Ojwang and Boniface Kariuki sparking nationwide debates on police accountability, to terrorism convictions, anti-graft prosecutions, and the ongoing Shakahola trial, the year exposed gaps in justice, governance, and public trust.
Cybercrime and hate speech cases further highlighted the complexities of regulating online conduct while protecting freedoms.
Amid ongoing investigations, court proceedings, and reforms, the year underscored the delicate balance between enforcing the law, safeguarding citizens’ rights, and strengthening institutional accountability in a rapidly evolving society.