Opposition leaders have issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the resignation and prosecution of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat over his role in the unexplained death of Albert Ojwang while in police custody.
Their statement, read yesterday by former CS Justin Muturi, also Democratic Party leader, flanked by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Rigathi Gachagua, condemned what they termed “state-sanctioned cover-up,” accusing top government officials of facilitating a systematic obstruction of justice.
They said Ojwang was picked up by police officers in Homa Bay County, then transferred to Nairobi under undocumented circumstances, after which he was booked at Central Police Station, where he died.
The timeline of his arrest has raised serious inquiries, particularly the unexplained 26-hour gap from his arrest and his official arrival in Nairobi. Muturi said no official account had been provided, which holds the key to understanding the abuse and torture Ojwang suffered.
“When 31-year-old Albert Ojwang walked back to his home, neither he nor his family could have imagined that these would be his final moments,” Muturi said.
He added: “Albert was the only hope of his ageing parents and a young father to his child. Now he is gon, and no one is being held to account.”
He demanded answers on reports that CCTV cameras at Central Police Station were deliberately turned off during Ojwang’s detention. “If cameras were disabled, who gave that order? If Albert was not placed in solitary confinement, who were his cellmates? And who was present when he drew his last breath?” Muturi asked.
A postmortem confirmed that Ojwang died from injuries consistent with torture, further fueling public outrage. Muturi dismissed a directive from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) instructing the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate the matter within seven days as a mere camouflage, intended to calm public anger rather than deliver real justice.
“The public is not interested in carefully crafted press releases or face-saving bureaucratic orders;s, they want the truth, they want accountability, they want justice,” said Muturi.
The leaders further demanded immediate protection for potential whistleblowers within the Police Service, particularly junior officers who may be under pressure to stay silent. “This country cannot afford to normalise state brutality. The life of every Kenyan matters, whether they are the child of a minister or the son of a fisherman. Justice for Albert Ojwang must not be delayed, and it must not be denied,” said the former CS.
He also appealed for the protection and support of Ojwang’s grieving family, saying the nation owes them nothing less than the full weight of justice.
