Kenya’s Deputy Inspector General of Police, Eliud Lagat, has resigned as public outrage mounts over the death of 31-year-old blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody.
Ojwang, who had accused Lagat of corruption in a series of social media posts, died days after his arrest in what authorities initially claimed was a suicide, a narrative later discredited by an autopsy report.
Lagat, who had faced mounting pressure from opposition leaders and human rights activists to resign, announced his decision on Monday, stating that it was done “in the good and conscious thought” of his responsibility to the public and the police service.
“I undertake to provide any support that may be required of me during the investigations of the unfortunate incident,” Lagat said in a statement. “I offer immense condolences to the family of Mr Albert Ojwang for their great loss.”
Ojwang was arrested on June 7 in his home village of Kakoth, near Homa Bay, in western Kenya. He was then transferred to a central police station in Nairobi. Days later, he was found dead in his cell. Initial police statements suggested he died from head injuries sustained by allegedly banging his head against a wall — a claim the autopsy contradicted, pointing instead to evidence of assault.
Following the release of the autopsy findings and an independent probe by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), police were forced to retract their earlier statement. IPOA ruled out suicide as the cause of death, implicating foul play.
President William Ruto weighed in, assuring Kenyans of a thorough and transparent investigation. In a conversation with Ojwang’s father, Meshack Opiyo, Ruto expressed sympathy and pledged government support.
“He (Ruto) said, ‘I’m sorry,’ and we spoke at length. His words were sincere,” Mr. Opiyo told Daily Nation.
The president offered the family two million Kenyan shillings (approximately $15,500) to support funeral expenses.
Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga also visited the family, pledging an additional one million shillings.
In response to public backlash, Police Chief Douglas Kanja issued a rare apology for the initial misleading report, blaming it on “misinformation” from junior officers.
Meanwhile, the head of the police station where Ojwang died, along with another officer and a technician accused of disabling the station’s CCTV cameras, have been arrested and were under investigation.
Until investigations were complete, Lagat will have no access to his office, with his deputy assuming his duties temporarily. His resignation followed growing nationwide protests, with activists planning more demonstrations this week demanding accountability and justice.
The incident has once again cast a harsh spotlight on police brutality and extrajudicial killings in Kenya. Despite President Ruto’s 2022 promise to curb rogue police activity, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) reported nearly 160 cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances last year alone. In the last four months, at least 20 detainees have reportedly died in police custody, according to IPOA.
