Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot/FILE
Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot has called on Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat to step aside while investigations are conducted into the death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang.
Speaking candidly, Cheruiyot emphasized that stepping aside does not imply guilt but rather would help foster transparency and public confidence in the probe.
“I advise my friend, Deputy IG Lagat, to step aside until investigations are concluded. Nobody has said you’re guilty, but for the sake of the country and to ensure we get the full picture of what happened, it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
Cheruiyot raised these concerns during a heated Senate session on Tuesday, where Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja were put under oath to answer questions from senators.
The session was triggered by a formal request from Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang, as the Senate formed a committee of the whole to examine the circumstances surrounding Ojwang’s death in police custody.
“Mr. Speaker, given that we are sitting as a committee of the whole House, I kindly request that everyone appearing before us today be placed under oath before they speak or even state their names,” Sifuna insisted, setting a tone of seriousness and accountability.
Alongside Murkomen and Kanja, other top officials also took the oath, including DCI chief Mohamed Amin, Ipoa Vice Chairperson Ann Mwangi, and NPSC Acting Chairperson Edwin Cheluget.
Cheruiyot noted the complexity of the case and underscored the need for clarity on the status of Ojwang when he was transported from Homa Bay to Nairobi.
“There are still many unanswered questions, especially about the condition in which Albert Ojwang was being ferried from Homa Bay to Nairobi,” he said.
Ojwang, a teacher and social media influencer, was arrested on June 7 at his home in Homa Bay.
His death in police custody has since sparked national outrage and intensified calls for justice and accountability.
