Embattled DIG Lagat to return to work as case looms

DIG Eliud Lagat during a press briefing 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 (DIG) Eliud Lagat is expected to return to work on July 22, a source close to him has told The Standard. This comes as Justice Chacha Mwita is expected to give directions on Monday in a case filed by UK-based activist Karanja Matindi, who is challenging Lagat's decision to step aside. His return to his Vigilance House office will come barely a month after he stepped aside to allow an investigation into the brutal murder of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang, who was murdered at the Central Police Station on June 8. Police Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga, when reached for comment, denied knowledge of Lagat's return date, saying that he was in the dark about the matter. "I do not know, you are the ones who are informing me about it, what more information do you have?" posed Nyaga. Sources at Vigilance House said that Lagat has been advised to keep a low profile from the media once he returns. At the centre of Lagat's controversial return is politics and alignment by senior State House operatives and the question of who will be in charge of the police during the 2027 General Election. Lagat was already being touted as Inspector General Douglas Kanja's replacement but Ojwang's death seems to have complicated the path for him. The operatives at State House are already aligned with Lagat, while others are backing his ouster and want him replaced with another senior police officer who was a front-runner in the DIG's post interviews. After Ojwang's murder, it took eight days of pressure for Lagat to step aside from his duties on June 16 after it was revealed that his complaint to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had triggered events leading to Ojwang's death. In his statement, Lagat said he was stepping aside to allow a free and fair probe into the murder by the Independent Policing and Oversight Authority (Ipoa). He announced that his Principal Assistant, Patrick Tito, would hold the DIG post in acting capacity until his return. The killing was also being probed by the DCI alongside the Internal Affairs Unit following a directive from IG Kanja. In his address a day after the killing, Kanja said that Lagat had lodged a complaint with the DCI about social media posts by Ojwang linking him to graft. DCI wrote to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, which confirmed that they were not investigating Lagat over graft, informing the decision to arrest Ojwang. DCI officers from the Operation Support Unit then trailed Ojwang to his village in Homa Bay County, where they arrested him on June 7, and he was booked at Mawego Police Station. He was then moved to Central Police Station Nairobi, where he met his death, and soon calls for Lagat's resignation started. A post-mortem revealed that Ojwang had been strangled and beaten to death. After questioning more than 23 people including Lagat, Ipoa cleared him and settled in five men who were charged with murder. Former Central OCS Samson Talaam, police officers John Mukhwana and Peter Kimani and civilians John Ngige Gitau, Gin Ammitou Abwao and Brian Mwaniki Njue were charged with the murder. Lagat's stepping aside was questioned in some quarters since it is not recognized in law and only the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) can suspend him from office. During his three-week stay in purgatory, Lagat has been enjoying the full trappings of power and his salary and benefits have been unaffected. This prompted Matindi to file a case where he sued NPSC and Attorney General Dorcas Oduor. Lagat and Tito were listed as interested parties alongside the Law Society of Kenya and Katiba Institute.

Embattled DIG Lagat to return to work as case looms

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