Lagat to shed light on Ojwang's killing

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat. [Courtesy] Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat is expected to shed light on events surrounding the death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang' in police custody when he records a statement before the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa). According to Ipoa Chairperson Issack Hassan, Lagat is the final officer expected to provide a statement in the ongoing investigation that has so far seen 20 police officers questioned. These include senior officers at Central Police Station, where Ojwang was detained before his death. "Having found basis, Ipoa has issued summons to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Eliud Lagat, to appear before the Authority's investigations team to record a statement," Hassan said. This summons comes amid mounting public pressure for accountability over the death of Ojwang, whose arrest was triggered by a defamation complaint made by Lagat. The blogger is claimed to have published allegations accusing Lagat of corruption and nepotism within the National Police Service. Lagat, under immense pressure, announced on Monday that he was temporarily stepping aside to allow for impartial investigations into the matter. "I have today opted to step aside from the office of the Deputy Inspector General - Kenya Police Service pending completion of investigations. I undertake to provide any support that may be required of me during the investigations of the unfortunate incident," said Lagat in a statement. While the decision to step aside was welcomed by some, it has done little to quell public outrage, with others calling for his resignation and subsequent arrest. Demonstrations to this effect, erupted in Nairobi and other parts of the country, with protestors accusing authorities of shielding high-ranking police officers from accountability. The hashtags #JusticeForAlbertOjwang, #ArrestEliudLagat, and #EndPoliceBrutality have been trending on social media, with Kenyans calling for the immediate arrest of Lagat. Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna dismissed Lagat's move to step aside as cosmetic. "From the start, DIG Eliud Lagat has been a suspect in the murder of Albert Ojwang'. 'Stepping aside' is a child's play. IPOA and DCI are taking Kenyans for fools. We are calling for his arrest," Sifuna stated in a post on X. Former Chief Justice David Maraga, on Monday, demanded the immediate prosecution of Lagat. "There is prima facie evidence that Mr Eliud Lagat-directly or indirectly-is implicated in the illegal arrest, torture, strangulation, and eventual murder of the late Albert Ojwang'," said Maraga. According to Hassan, the 20 police officers who have recorded statements with IPOA are Central Police Station OCS Chief Inspector Samson Talaam, Deputy OCS IP Samuel Ng'ang'a, and PC James Mukhwana. Both Talaam and Mukhwana have already been arraigned in court, while Ng'ang'a was arrested on Tuesday and remains in custody at Muthaiga Police Station. In addition to police officers, Hassan said, Ipoa has also processed four civilians linked to the case. They include Kelvin Mutisya Mutava, who is accused of tampering with CCTV footage, and three inmates; Brian Mwaniki Njue, Collins Karani, and Gin Ammitou, who were in custody at Central Police Station on the night Ojwang died. The trio is believed to have been used by officers to torture Ojwang. Meanwhile, Hassan said during the Tuesday demonstrations, Ipoa recorded 13 serious injuries, including the shooting of Boniface Mwangi Kariuki. "Tuesday's point-blank shooting of Mr Kariuki highlights the professional policing gaps that have to be bridged," said Hassan. IPOA now wants the Inspector General of Police to ensure full compliance with all legislative frameworks to help restore public trust in the service. IPOA also appealed for financial and technical support to strengthen its operations. The agency disclosed that despite owning a modern Cellebrite device for retrieving digital evidence, they were forced to seek external help because their license had expired and could not be renewed due to lack of funds. "The Authority is dedicated to conducting investigations with impartiality, as it delivers its mandate of holding the police accountable, and working towards the attainment of Article 244 of the Constitution," Hassan said. As part of the investigation, Hassan stated that IPOA has submitted miscellaneous applications to mobile service providers seeking data from persons of interest. The Authority has also seized DVR footage from the police station and submitted biological samples for forensic analysis at the Government Chemist. "We are working in collaboration with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and we are confident that by early next week, the investigation file with recommendations for charging suspects will be ready," said Hassan. George Musamali, a security analyst, pointed to procedural failures that implicate Lagat. "The DIG must demonstrate that he reported the complaint at a gazetted police station to initiate investigations. Anything short of an Occurrence Book (OB) entry cannot hold water," Musamali stated.

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