Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called for the immediate resignation and prosecution of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat following the death of Albert Ojwang, who was allegedly killed in police custody.
In a statement issued on 9 June, Gachagua accused Lagat of direct involvement in Ojwang’s arrest and detention, which he said resulted in the young man’s brutal murder.
Ojwang was reportedly apprehended after making critical comments about Lagat on social media.
“The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. Eliud Lagat, is the complainant, and the one who ordered the arrest,” Gachagua said. “He must take full responsibility for this murder.”
Calls for Immediate Resignation of DIG Eliud Lagat
Gachagua also linked Lagat to a pattern of what he described as “state-sponsored violence,” referencing a previous incident in which police allegedly withdrew from a church service in Mwiki, Nairobi, allowing a group of attackers to disrupt the event.
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He further accused Lagat of running Kamukunji and Central Police Stations without oversight, branding them “new torture chambers.”
Ojwang, originally detained in Homa Bay, was transferred to Nairobi’s Central Police Station, where he later died under unclear circumstances.
The Kenya Police Service has since suspended several junior officers at the station, but Gachagua called the move a cover-up.
“Suspending junior officers… is hoodwinking Kenyans. For any meaningful investigations to be done, Mr. Eliud Lagat must be suspended immediately,” he said.
Gachagua on Ruto’s Administration
Ojwang’s death has sparked outrage across social media, with many have criticized President William Ruto’s administration for a rise in reported police brutality and extrajudicial killings.
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“To the family of Albert, the people of Homa Bay County, and especially the Gen Zs, I stand with you in seeking justice,” Gachagua said. “There has been no worse mutilation of our freedoms in Kenya than under this regime.”
The former deputy president accused the Ruto-led government of building a “blood-based” administration, stating that it continues to operate at the expense of young lives.
Officials from the Ministry of Interior and the National Police Service have yet to publicly respond to Gachagua’s claims.
Kenya has faced increasing pressure from civil society groups and human rights organizations to reform its police services and curb rising cases of alleged abuse of power.
Ojwang’s family has demanded a transparent and independent investigation into the death of their son.
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