Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat has stepped aside pending investigations into the death of Albert Ojwang.
In a statement dated June 16, 2025, Lagat said the move was in “good and conscious thought” of his role and responsibilities.
He cited the ongoing investigations into Ojwang’s death as the reason for temporarily vacating office.
“I have today opted to step aside... pending completion of investigations,” he stated.
Lagat added that his deputy will perform the office’s functions until the investigations conclude.
He expressed willingness to support the investigation process and extended condolences to Ojwang’s family.
Ojwang died after an alleged assault while in custody at Central Police Station, Nairobi.
The case has triggered public outrage and led to the arrest of the station’s OCS, Samson Talam.
Investigations are ongoing, led by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
The stepping down came after he met President William Ruto to ask
him to step aside to allow the ongoing probe.
There has been pressure for his exit from the service over the
death.
Inspector General (IG) Douglas Kanja told Senators on June 11 that
the probe started when online posts claimed DIG Lagat was involved in
corruption within the National Police Service (NPS).
Kanja said the process began on June 4, 2025, when Langat filed a
formal complaint with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The complaint concerned a series of posts on the social media
platform X (formerly Twitter) accusing Langat of corrupt activities within the
National Police Service.
The case was filed under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act, and
a team of five officers was assigned to investigate.
On the same day, Senior Superintendent Hillary Mutai, who heads the
Serious Crimes Unit, recorded Langat’s statement at Vigilance House.
The investigators also wrote to the EACC to verify the claims made
in the social media posts and reached out to the Communications Authority of
Kenya (CAK) to request registration details and preservation of content from
the X account in question.
CAK responded, confirming the account was active and had
approximately 13,400 followers.
The EACC also replied on June 4, clarifying that Langat was not
under any investigation.
Kanja stated that investigators concluded the allegations lacked
factual basis, but CAK directly linked the X posts to specific individuals,
including the late Ojwang.
Kanja told the Senate that the investigators found sufficient
grounds to arrest those responsible, citing a prima facie case under the
cybercrimes law.
On June 5, investigators arrested one of the suspects, Kelvin
Moinde, at his residence and booked him at Kenyenya Police Station before
transferring him to DCI Headquarters in Nairobi.
During interrogation, Moinde reportedly disclosed the names of
several accomplices, including Albert Ojwang, Dorcas Mawia, Douglas Marigiri,
and Peter Mbugua.
He also provided their respective X account handles.
Investigators later confirmed that Ojwang had authored similar
defamatory posts on his own account.
On June 7, officers visited Mawego Police Station, where they were
assigned three officers to accompany them to Ojwang’s home.
He was arrested, briefly held at Mawego Police Station, and later
transferred to Nairobi the same day.
During a stopover in Narok, the officers reported that Ojwang asked
for refreshments and was given water, soda, and biscuits.
The team arrived at Central Police Station in Nairobi at 9:17 p.m.
At 9:24 p.m., Ojwang called his wife and informed her that he had arrived
safely.
He was booked into custody by Police Constable Mohamed Rashid at
9:35 p.m., following a confirmation of his normal physical and mental condition
by the Officer.
However, in the early hours of June 8, officers conducting a routine
cell check reported they had found Ojwang unconscious.
He was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital and declared dead upon arrival at
1:31 a.m. According to Kanja, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority
(IPOA) was notified shortly thereafter.
IPOA preliminary investigations report shows
CCVT camera at Central Police station was interfered with.
An autopsy on the body had shown he was clobbered and strangled.
At least four police officers and two civilians have since been
arrested over the
