Nairobi — Pressure is mounting on Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat to resign after being centrally linked to the brutal killing of digital blogger Albert Ojwang.
An autopsy on Tuesday revealed Ojwang was tortured and strangled while in police custody contradicting initial police claims that he died from self-inflicted injuries.
Lagat is reported to have ordered Ojwang's arrest after the blogger allegedly published content critical of him.
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His action according to observers amounted to a violation and abuse of power given that Kenya in 2017 declared Section 194 of the Penal Code on criminal defamation unconstitutional.
Since criminal defamation was abolished, DIG Lagat ought to have pursued the defamation claims through civil courts, not misuse police powers for personal grievances.
Despite confirmation of police involvement in Ojwang's brutal murder, no arrests have been made.
The inaction is in stark contrast to previous high-profile cases, such as the swift arrest of suspects in the murder of former Kasipul Kabondo MP Ongondo Were on April 30, 2025.
Three days after Ojwang's death on June 8, 2025, however, there has been no significant progress.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja is facing growing calls to take decisive action, including suspending or dismissing his deputy Lagat.
The National Police Service (NPS) only issued a vague promise of a speedy probe after the autopsy report, fueling public suspicion of a cover-up.
The silence of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and President William Ruto has deepened frustration, with rights groups warning this could be yet another case of police impunity.
As Ojwang's family and the public demand justice, questions linger over accountability and whether the state will act or once again protect its own.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has meanwhile directed the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to fast-track investigations into the death of Ojwang.
In a statement dated June 10, 2025, the ODPP said it is closely monitoring the case and confirmed that IPOA had already begun investigations, as announced in its June 9 statement.
"The ODPP remains committed to executing its constitutional mandate in accordance with the law, public interest, and the administration of justice," the statement read.
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