Pressure is mounting on Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat to resign and face prosecution following the mysterious death of 26-year-old Albert Ojwang while in police custody at Central Police Station in Nairobi.
Human rights groups, political leaders, and Kenyans across the country have united in demanding accountability, labeling Ojwang’s death a case of “state-sanctioned murder.”
Ojwang, a vocal youth from Homa Bay County, was arrested over the weekend after reportedly posting critical content on social media about DIG Lagat.
According to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Lagat himself filed the complaint that led to Ojwang’s arrest.
“The reason why the late Albert Ojwang was arrested… is because there was a complaint lodged by the DIG about his name being tarnished,” Kanja told journalists on Monday.
Less than 24 hours after his arrest, Ojwang was found dead inside a police cell, with police claiming he died after “hitting his head on the wall”—a narrative that has sparked widespread disbelief and anger.
The Kenya Youth Association (KYA) strongly condemned the incident, saying Ojwang’s arrest, transfer to Nairobi, and sudden death points to a targeted attack on young people using social media to express dissent.
“Albert was murdered in state custody. His blood is on the hands of those who arrested him, detained him, and every senior officer, including DIG Eliud Lagat, under whose command this crime occurred,” the group said in a fiery statement.
KYA further linked the killing to a disturbing pattern of state-led repression against Gen Z youth, referencing the 2024 Finance Bill protests that saw several young Kenyans abducted and allegedly tortured by security agencies.
“The absurd police narrative that he ‘hit his head on the wall’ is a crude insult to the intelligence and dignity of the Kenyan people,” KYA added, demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of all officers involved.
The International Justice Mission (IJM) Kenya also condemned Ojwang’s death, terming it a gross violation of human rights.
“We are deeply saddened and outraged by the death of Albert Ojwang while in police custody,” said Vincent Chahale, IJM Country Director. “We commend the IG for interdicting the OCS and all officers who were on duty at the time. This must be followed by a transparent and impartial investigation.”
IJM welcomed the move by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to launch a formal probe into the incident, with a post-mortem expected to help determine the exact cause of death.
