Embattled Lagat bows to pressure, leaves office

Deputy Inspector General Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat during briefing the press following Albert Omondi Ojwang's death in police custody at Central Police station, Nairobi. June 9, 2025. [Jonah Onyango, Standard] Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat bowed to public pressure and stepped aside over the murder of Albert Ojwang', a teacher-cum-blogger who died in police custody. Lagat threw in the towel moments after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen noted that police officers are expected to comply with the constitutional standards of human rights and fundamental freedoms. "The service men and women are required to be trained to the highest possible standards of competence and integrity and to respect human rights, fundamental freedom and dignity," said Murkomen during press briefing at Harambee House. Few minutes later, Lagat in a brief statement, announced that he had opted to step aside to pave way for ongoing investigations. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) is leading the probe into Ojwang's murder at Central Police Station on June 8, 2025. "In the good and conscious thought of my role and responsibilities of the Deputy Inspector General of Police of Kenya Police Service, and in view of the ongoing investigations on the unfortunate incident of the death of Mr Albert Ojwang', I have today opted to step aside from the office of the Deputy Inspector General - Kenya Police Service pending completion of investigations," said Lagat. In his absence, functions of his office, will be performed by his deputy until completion of the probe, which the Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga directed last week should be concluded within seven days. "I undertake to provide any support that may be required of me during the investigations of the unfortunate incident. I offer immense condolences to the family of Mr Albert Ojwang' for their great loss," added Lagat. For one week, pressure had mounted on Lagat to step down, with opposition leaders and human rights groups demanding his resignation to guarantee impartial investigations into the gruesome killing of the 31-year-old. Lagat is being linked to Ojwang's death since he is the one who complained that Ojwang' alongside Kevin Moinde and others, were behind an online smear campaign implicating the DIG in corruption. According to Lagat, he reported the matter to Cyber Crime Unit at Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters where Wesley Kipkorir Kirui, Dennis Kinyoni, Milton Mwanze and Boniface Rabudo were tasked to track the group. The officers traveled to Ojwang's Kakoth home, Kokwanyo village in Homa Bay County where he was picked and brought to Nairobi on the evening of June 7. After being interrogated at Mazingira Complex, the DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road, Ojwang was taken to Central Police Station where contradicting versions emerged. Initially in a statement on June 8, Police Spokesman Muchiri Nyaga said Ojwang, attempted to commit suicide by hitting his head on the wall several times, and that he was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A day later, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja without elaborating, said the father of a three-year-old boy was found in the police cell unconscious while medics at Mbagathi Hospital maintained Ojwang was long dead when he was brought there. The glaring inconsistencies cast serious doubt on the official account, fuelling suspicions of a cover-up and undermining the suicide narrative-a theory that ultimately collapsed after a postmortem examination. Kanja apologised in the Senate where he was summoned alongside CS Murkomen and DCI boss Mohammed Amin to shed light on the saga that has caught public attention. "Based on the report we have now received from Ipoa, it is not true that he hit his head against the wall. That was the initial report we were given from the beginning. I tender my apology on behalf of the National Police Service for that misinformation," Kanja told the Senate. The postmortem revealed that Ojwang died from head injuries, neck comprehension, and multiple soft tissue trauma, ruling out self-inflicted injuries. According to lead pathologist Bernard Midia, the bleeds found on the scalp, skin of the head were spaced. "When we tie up together with other injuries that are well spread on parts of the body, including the upper limbs and trunk, then this is unlikely to be self-inflicted injury," explained Midia. Kanja told Senators that all officers implicated in the case would be questioned, including his embattled deputy. "In these investigations, every person whose name will be mentioned to have played a role that led to the death of the late Ojwang' must record his statement. He must show his side. It is on that basis, I believe, if the DIG is going to be mentioned, then definitely he will write the statements," he said. So far, 17 police officers and six civilians have been questioned in connection with the murder. Central Police Station OCS Samson Taalam and his junior, Constable James Mukhwana, have been arraigned in court. Also charged is Kelvin Matava, a civilian accused of tampering with the station's CCTV system. Taalam, Sammuel Ng'ang'a, Charles Muruki, Debian Lusweti, Peter Kimani and Evaline Kanyiri are some of the officers interdicted. Opposition leaders and human rights groups had expressed fear that Lagat continue stay in office will compromise the probe. Last Thursday when the budget was being read in parliament, protestors paralysed the Central Business District chanting 'Lagat must go' insisting that the DIG should resign. A day earlier, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale was blunt saying: "It is not enough to ask the Deputy IG to resign. We want Eliud Lagat to be arrested so that he can write a statement from the police station, for it to be clearer to him that he has a responsibility." Posting on his X account on June 9, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua demanded for Lagat's suspension saying: "He must take full responsibility for his murder."

Embattled Lagat bows to pressure, leaves office

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