The story around the death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody has taken a new twist. Fresh court papers now show that Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat may not have told the full truth when he said he had stepped aside to allow investigations into the case.
Last month, Lagat went public, saying he was temporarily leaving office to give room for a fair probe into how Ojwang died. Ojwang had been arrested in Homa Bay by officers from the DCI after writing a blog post that reportedly angered Lagat. A day later, Ojwang was found dead in his cell at Central Police Station in Nairobi.
Photo-grid of the late blogger Albert Ojwang and Police DIG Eliud Lagat. Photo: Nairobi Leo Source: X
But new information reveals that Lagat did not officially step aside. Instead, he went on annual leave. According to the documents, his leave started on June 17, just one day after he told the public he was stepping aside. The leave was approved by Inspector General Douglas Kanja and did not mention anything about the Ojwang case.
This has raised eyebrows. Some people now believe the leave was not about allowing investigations, but more about controlling the public story. Human rights groups and several lawyers have said this looks like a public relations move, not a real effort to seek justice.
“It now feels like the public was misled,” said one human rights activist. “If he was serious about stepping aside for a fair process, why not make it official in writing?”
Ojwang’s family has asked for an independent investigation. They say they still do not know what exactly happened to their son while in police custody. They believe there is a cover-up and want answers.
So far, the police leadership has not responded to the new court revelations. Many Kenyans are watching closely, wondering if this case will ever see the truth come out.
