DIG Eliud Lagat 'steps aside' amid probe into Ojwang death
The Deputy Inspector General of the National Police Service Eliud Lagat at the Bunge Towers Nairobi on November 7, 2024.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Eliud Lagat says he has opted to "step aside" following the controversial death of Albert Ojwang, pending completion of an investigation by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa).
In a statement, the police boss said his deputy will perform his duties until the probe is complete.
Download DIG Lagat's statement here --> Lagat statement
Lagat was the complainant in a case that led to Ojwang's arrest in Homa Bay.
He ended up dead at Central Police Station, Nairobi, under mysterious circumstances.
DIG Lagat bowed to public pressure over the case, one that threatens to taint his career spanning over three decades.
His boss, Inspector-General Douglas Kanja, had last week confirmed that his deputy was the complainant in the case.
“Yes, there was a complaint that was lodged by the DIG Kenya Police Service about his name being tarnished,” IG Kanja said after touring Central Police Station on Monday in the company of DIG Lagat.
“It is on that basis that investigations were carried out because he also has a right to be protected by the same law.”
Murkomen: Lagat is a seasoned police officer
Meanwhile, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen held a presser Monday where he issued a number of directives following uproar over Ojwang's death. He ordered that all police stations should be equipped with CCTV surveillance and that tampering with cameras will be criminalised, after it emerged that cameras at Central police were tampered with when Ojwang was in custody.
Responding to a question over whether DIG Lagat would resign, he said: "He is a seasoned police officer who understands what it takes to carry out investigations and whether or not his conduct can affect those investigations...but we will cross that bridge when we get there. Let's leave Ipoa to do its part."
Less than 3 hours later, Lagat had issued a statement saying he would step aside to allow for investigations.
Fury from Kenyans
The death of Ojwang has sparked fury from Kenyans and fierce condemnation from civil society, leading to protests last week Thursday.
Protesters march along Harambee Avenue, Nairobi on June 12, 2025. They demanded justice for Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody last weekend.
Ipoa took up the matter and recorded statements from 17 police officers who were interrogated on Thursday last week.
Six police officers were interdicted in connection with Ojwang's death: Central Police OCS Samson Talaam, duty officer Samuel Ng’ang’a, Corporal Charles Muruki, and police constables Debian Lusweti, Peter Kimani and Evaline Kanyiri.