DIG Lagat to face IPOA over Ojwang's murder cover-up

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja,DCI Director Mohamed Amin,DIG Gilbert Masengeli and other top police officers before the National Assembly's Administration and Internal Security Committe chaired by Gabriel Tongoyo and Dido Raso in regard to the death of Albert Omondi Ojwang’ in police custody at Mini Chambers, County Hall, Parliament Nairobi. June 12th,2025. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The Independent Policing and Oversight Authority (IPOA) will summon Deputy Inspector General Eliud Langat for interrogation over the murder of teacher Albert Ojwang, even as the country learnt that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations has not yet started investigating the murder.

This happened on a day that IPOA Chairperson Ahmed Issack Hassan revealed that the authority had already interrogated 23 suspects and witnesses over the death that sparked protests across the country.

Hassan, who appeared before the National Assembly committee on administration and internal security, noted that since Lagat was the complainant behind the arrest of Ojwang’, he would be called in for questioning and determination on whether he had a hand in his death.

“Yes, we were going to summon him, but our team, our technical team, the investigators, said that they would have preferred to take all statements from all the policemen involved, before they can now confront him, and him being the final person who made the complaint. And I think it is probably much better that way. There are also two civilians who are involved in a different way that we need also to investigate,” said Hassan.

Hassan at the same time talked of sustained efforts by police to cover up the murder and stall the investigations.

He disclosed that the authority’s investigations had established that hard disks of CCTV systems at Nairobi’s Central Police Station were replaced and formatted.

The Gabriel Tongoyo-led committee heard that digital video recorder (DVR) logs showed the discs were changed and formatted on June 8, 2025, at 07:23:29 and 07:23:48 hours.

IG Douglas Kanja had earlier submitted that Ojwang was booked at the Central Police Station under the Occurrence Book number 136/7/6/2025 at 21:35 hours on June 7, 2025.

Hassan consequently termed the move a poor attempt to “erase surveillance footage” linked to the events leading to Ojwang’s death while in police custody.

“Somebody called someone to come and switch off a particular section, but he said he could only shut down the entire system,” Hassan submitted.

He also disclosed that the CCTV hard disks had been replaced in what appeared to be a calculated scheme to conceal evidence.

“The deceased died while in custody at central police station cells. The CCTV system located at the OCS office had been interfered with. The power cables were disconnected…The DVR logs indicated that the operating discs had been changed and formatted on June 8, 2025, at 07:23:48 hours and 07:23:29 hours,’’ added Hassan.

The chairperson was responding to a question by Kisumu West MP Rosa Buyu who had sought to know why IPOA had not found it fit or appropriate to also get a statement from the complainant of this whole case.

He explained that the 23 persons involved seventeen officers involved in the arrest of the late Ojwang’ in Homabay- who have since been fired- and those at the Central Police station where he met his demise.

The list, he said, also included witnesses, some of whom were in custody at the night of the death of the late.

“We have also taken a statement from the officers who were in the Central Police Station. From the OCS, the deputy OCS, the sentry officer, the cell sentry officer. They have different roles and names. There were 17 in total for the whole day and night, including the shift that came and then took over from the other shift,” added Hassan.

His sentiments came against the backdrop of an earlier declaration by Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja who stated that no one- including his deputy- would be spared in the ongoing probe.

Kanja , while appearing before the parliamentary  team alongside DIG Gilbert Masengeli and Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DIG) Amin Mohammed confirmed that DIG Langat would step aside if implicated in the probe.

“There is an ongoing investigation by IPOA, and every person whose name is mentioned as having played any role in the death of the late Albert Ojwang must record a statement and give their side,” said Kanja.

“If the DIG is going to be mentioned, then definitely he will make a statement. I believe it is on that basis that he can step aside to allow for the completion of the investigation.”

He too, had made the remarks following concerns by the committee on why Lagat was still part of the team investigating the murder.

“Initial complaints were made by the DIG who is in charge of the National Police Service (NPS), all the names being investigated are people he is in charge of. Being the IG don’t you think for better investigation the DIG should step aside so that the other officers don’t feel intimidated?” posed MP Rosa Buyu.

The DCI however had  a hard  time defending the expediency within which the arrest of Ojwang’ was conducted after MPs hinted at influence coming from powerful person up the chain.

“There was no special treatment or special urgency to have this matter resolved.  It was one touching on the integrity of the person of the DIG. It was a written complaint to be shared by committee.  In our service standing orders we always try to expedite our cases. But we did not accord  the matter of Langat any special preference,”observed Amin.

Homabay MP Peter Kaluma however pushed Amin to explain why no arrests had been made  in connection to the murder.

“Until today, why is it that people haven't been taken to court because from the material you've provided there are those that should be in court even as you conduct investigations yet some of them could be moving around interfering with evidence, “he questioned.

To which Amin responded, “I have my homicide detectives whose main job is to investigate homicides. But in this particular matter, the office of DPP(Directorate of Public Prosecution) issued a directive IPOA to investigate the matter and forward the file to his office for further perusal. Under the circumstances, we may not conduct parallel investigation there was also a court order giving IPOA sole mandate to investigate.  We would be far by now but we can not initiate a parallel investigation.”