Nairobi — Former police spokesman Charles Owino has said it is too early to call for the resignation of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Eliud Lagat following the death of Albert Ojwang’ in police custody.
Ojwang’, who had been arrested over a defamation complaint filed by DIG Lagat, died on Sunday while held at Central Police Station in Nairobi. The incident has sparked a public outcry, with growing calls for Lagat to be held accountable. But Owino believes such demands are premature.
“Calling for Lagat to step down at this stage is too early,” he told Citizen TV on Tuesday. “The person who has actual responsibility of custody is the OCS and his officers.”
According to Owino, DIG Lagat was within his rights to file a complaint, and the situation is now being turned into a political storm.
“He has a right as an individual to complain when he thinks he’s being maligned,” Owino said. “He has gone through a lot of attacks in the last two months. Politicians have said their person was removed to make way for someone else. It looks like a coordinated effort to get him out of office.”
The circumstances around Ojwang’s death remain unclear. Police say the 35-year-old hit his head against the walls of his cell, causing fatal injuries. But this account has been met with scepticism from many, including Owino.
“You can only come up with that theory if there were other people in the cell who witnessed it,” he said. “If he was alone, how do you make such a conclusion?”
Owino insists that focus should be on the officers present at the station during Ojwang’s detention. “Those who should be questioned are the officers manning the station, not Lagat. He simply reported a case to the DCI.”
An autopsy scheduled for Monday afternoon was postponed to Tuesday, further fuelling suspicion. Critics argue that the delay raises concerns over transparency and possible attempts to interfere with the investigation.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has called on Inspector General Japhet Koome to come clean on the matter. LSK President Faith Odhiambo has demanded that the police reveal the names of all officers involved in Ojwang’s arrest and transfer from Homa Bay to Nairobi.
“We expect openness and accountability from the police,” Ms Odhiambo said. “Kenyans deserve to know who was involved and what really happened.”
DIG Lagat has so far not responded to the criticism directly, but the pressure is mounting. For now, all eyes are on the autopsy report and the findings from ongoing investigations.
Still, Owino cautioned against rushing to judgment: “Let the facts come out. We must not condemn someone before the truth is known.”
