Peter Oyan Withdraws Complaint Over HIV Status Publication, Cites Forgiveness
Lawyer Danstan Omari has announced that his client, Peter Oyan, has withdrawn a complaint against media publications that questioned his testimony about having been healed of HIV, bringing the matter to a close after months of investigations by Kenyan authorities.
Speaking during a press briefing on Sunday, Omari said the complaint was filed after media reports published on February 8, 2026, allegedly claimed that Oyan had never been diagnosed with HIV and that his testimony regarding his healing was false. According to the lawyer, the complaint sought to protect Oyan’s reputation and establish the truth through legal channels.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) launched investigations into the claims. Among the issues examined were whether Oyan had previously tested HIV positive, whether he had received antiretroviral therapy (ARVs), whether he had been registered under the National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCOP) at Rumuruti Sub-County Hospital, and whether he was later confirmed HIV negative.
Omari said investigators obtained court orders allowing access to Oyan’s medical records, including the official NASCOP Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Register maintained at Rumuruti Sub-County Hospital. According to the legal team, the records showed that Oyan was enrolled in the government’s HIV treatment programme on May 3, 2012, under WHO Clinical Stage III and was started on ARV treatment after weighing approximately 44.7 kilograms.
The lawyer stated that the records contradicted media reports that had claimed Oyan’s name did not appear in the hospital’s HIV treatment register. He added that investigators established that Oyan remained on ARV treatment for about two years.
As part of the investigation, the DCI also obtained a court order for fresh HIV testing. Omari said Oyan, together with his wife and daughter, underwent DNA-PCR qualitative testing at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) in Nairobi. According to the statement, all three tested HIV negative.
Investigators also recorded statements from healthcare professionals and witnesses familiar with Oyan’s medical history. Omari said these included Jackson Ekai, the healthcare worker who allegedly diagnosed Oyan with HIV in 2012.
According to the lawyer, Ekai confirmed that Oyan later returned for further testing after attending a religious meeting led by Prophet Dr. David Owuor in Eldoret in April 2014. Omari said the healthcare worker stated that subsequent tests at the hospital found Oyan to be HIV negative.
The investigation also included statements from members of HIV support groups who reportedly attended clinic appointments and received treatment alongside Oyan, further supporting his medical history.
After completing the investigation, the DCI forwarded the file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review.
However, before any prosecution decision was made, Oyan informed the ODPP that he no longer wished to pursue the complaint and requested that the matter be withdrawn.
Omari said Oyan’s decision followed prayer and personal reflection and was guided by his Christian faith. He cited Articles 32 and 159(2)(c) of the Constitution, which protect freedom of religion and encourage reconciliation and alternative dispute resolution.
Oyan emphasized that withdrawing the complaint should not be interpreted as acceptance of the media reports. Instead, he said the decision reflected his desire to forgive, reconcile and move forward.
He thanked the DCI, the ODPP, healthcare professionals and everyone who contributed to the investigations.
Oyan also appealed to the public, media and other stakeholders to consider the matter concluded and to respect his decision to forgive, saying he hoped the issue would now rest in the spirit of truth, reconciliation and Christian love.
