NAIROBI, Kenya – Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat will only step aside from his position if he is formally implicated in the ongoing investigation into the death of 28-year-old Albert Ojwang, Inspector General Douglas Kanja told MPs on Thursday.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security, Kanja said the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is leading the probe and that any officer found to have played a role in the death will be required to cooperate fully with investigators.
“There is an ongoing investigation by IPOA. Everyone whose name is mentioned, and who is believed to have played a role in the death of the late Albert Ojwang, must record a statement,” Kanja said. “If the DIG is mentioned, he will definitely be expected to step aside to allow for that investigation to proceed.”
Pressure has been mounting on the National Police Service over Ojwang’s death in custody last month, with human rights groups and opposition lawmakers demanding accountability.
Protesters have staged demonstrations in Nairobi’s central business district, calling for Lagat’s resignation and questioning the police’s version of events.
Apology Over Misleading Statement
Kanja also publicly apologised for the police’s initial account of Ojwang’s death, which claimed he had fatally injured himself by hitting his head against a wall.
“The first report we received that morning stated the deceased had hit his head,” Kanja told the committee. “Based on that, the initial press release was issued. However, as more information came in, it became clear that version was misleading. On behalf of the National Police Service, I apologise to the people of Kenya. We deeply regret the confusion and pain this caused.”
IPOA has since ruled out suicide, saying both the autopsy and its preliminary investigations do not support that theory.
CCTV Tampering Raises Further Questions
The Inspector General also confirmed reports that CCTV cameras at Central Police Station, where Ojwang was being held, had been tampered with.
He said one of the cameras had been unplugged, but technicians are working to retrieve footage from the hard drive.
“We are trying to reconstruct the data from the DVR. I believe the investigators will get a lot of useful information from the CCTV footage,” he said.
On Wednesday, IPOA Vice Chairperson Anne Wanjiku told the Senate that Ojwang’s death was not self-inflicted and raised concerns about the deliberate disabling of surveillance systems within the station.
“IPOA only learned of Ojwang’s death through the media and a signal from the Inspector General,” she said. “We immediately dispatched forensic teams to examine the scene, retrieve records, collect evidence, and secure the CCTV systems for analysis.”
Broader Demands for Accountability
Ojwang’s death has sparked outrage across the country, drawing attention to police conduct and internal accountability mechanisms.
Fourteen officers have so far been questioned, including the OCS at Central Police Station.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has also flagged the station’s commander as a suspect.
Meanwhile, U.S. Embassy officials in Nairobi have joined local voices in calling for a thorough and impartial investigation, urging the government to support IPOA’s work and uphold justice for the victim and his family.
