Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has urged Kenyans to allow the
Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to complete its investigations
into the death of Albert Ojwang before
drawing conclusions or demanding resignations.
Speaking at Harambee House on Monday, Murkomen
declined to directly comment on whether Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud
Lagat should have resigned, instead calling for restraint as the independent
probe continues.
“We must give IPOA room to carry out its
mandate. Any decisions, including those affecting officers under investigation,
should be informed by facts and the findings of the oversight body,” he said.
Lagat, who has since stepped aside from his
duties, has been at the centre of public scrutiny following Ojwang’s death
while in police custody.
The case has sparked nationwide outrage and renewed calls for police
accountability.
“DIG Lagat is a seasoned officer who
understands the importance of maintaining integrity during investigations,”
Murkomen said.
“Whether his position affects the probe is something IPOA was to assess as
they progres.”
Ojwang reportedly died at the Nairobi Central
Police Station, where he had been transferred following his arrest in Homa Bay.
IPOA has since launched an
investigation into the incident and confirmed it is probing at least four
officers, including Central Police OCS Samson Taalam.
Murkomen added that it was up to the Deputy
Inspector General to evaluate his own position in relation to the ongoing
investigation.
“I would not like to be the CS who makes the
decision for him,” he said. “It is for him to determine whether staying in
office could compromise the integrity of the process.”
Meanwhile, former Chief Justice David Maraga
on Monday called for the arrest and prosecution of Inspector General of Police
Douglas Kanja and Director of Criminal Investigations Mohammed Amin.
He accused them, along with Lagat, of participating in what he termed a
coordinated cover-up of Ojwang’s death.
Maraga claimed the police leadership misled
the public and the courts about the circumstances surrounding the death, saying
such conduct undermines public confidence in the justice system.
“It is now clear that the IG, DCI, Lagat, and
others lied under oath about the brutal killing of Ojwang, contradicting
official police reports which falsely claimed he injured himself,” Maraga said
during a press briefing in Nairobi.
IPOA
has assured the public that its investigations are ongoing and will be
conducted with transparency and independence.
