Monday, June 9, 2025 - Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has demanded the immediate suspension of Deputy Inspector General of Police, Eliud Lagat, following the controversial death of social media personality Albert Ojwang while in police custody at Nairobi’s Central Police Station on Sunday, June 8th.
In a statement posted on X on Monday, June 9th,
Gachagua alleged that Deputy IG Lagat personally ordered Ojwang’s arrest on
Saturday, June 7th, in Homa Bay, before his transfer to Nairobi.
He accused Lagat of weaponizing police stations against
dissent, asserting that Ojwang's arrest was a result of a critical social media
post targeting the Deputy IG.
“Lagat is the complainant and the one who ordered Ojwang’s
arrest. He must take full responsibility,” Gachagua said.
The former DP argued that suspending Lagat is necessary for an impartial investigation.
Gachagua further claimed that Lagat "runs" both Kamukunji and Central
Police stations without the knowledge of Inspector General Douglas Kanja.
“People are complaining that those two stations have become
new torture chambers,” he added.
Ojwang’s death sparked outrage online, particularly among
Kenya’s Gen Z community, with calls for justice flooding social media.
Inspector General Kanja has since interdicted the Officer
Commanding Station (OCS) and all officers on duty at the Central Police Station
that night.
The National Police Service has pledged full cooperation
with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), which is conducting a
parallel investigation.
“To the family of Albert and the people of Homa Bay, I stand
with you in seeking justice,” Gachagua said, calling the incident a worrying
signal of state efforts to silence youth voices online.
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