MP Karauri demands DIG Lagat’s resignation over Ojwang’s murder
Kasarani Member of Parliament Ronald Karauri has called for the resignation of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat following the mysterious death of Albert Ojwang while in police custody.
Ojwang, who had been arrested over social media posts linking Lagat to corruption, died at Central Police Station under unknown circumstances.
In a statement shared on his X account on Thursday, June 12, 2025, Karauri said the only way to ensure justice for Ojwang is for the Deputy IG to vacate his position and allow for an impartial investigation.
“As more disturbing details emerge surrounding the brutal murder of Albert Ojwang, the only option is for DIG Lagat to step down to allow for a full and impartial investigation,” Karauri said.
He pointed out that officers who were on duty the night Ojwang died could hold vital information and must not be protected. Karauri warned that ignoring this case would be dangerous for the country.
‘The OCS at Central Police Station, along with other officers on duty that night, hold critical information that could shed light on what truly happened. This is not a case that can be brushed aside. If we continue down this path of unchecked impunity, we risk pushing the country toward a dangerous breaking point,” he added.
Events leading to arrest
Karauri’s remarks came just a day after the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, and the DCI boss appeared before the Senate on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, to explain the events leading up to Ojwang’s arrest and death.
According to Kanja, Ojwang had published several tweets accusing DIG Lagat of corruption. One of the posts claimed that Lagat had placed a loyal officer in a strategic position to control DCI desks, traffic shifts, and occurrence books to influence revenue flow and internal police intelligence.
Another tweet showed Lagat with senior officer Joseph Chirchir and claimed that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) was investigating Lagat for allegedly purchasing a Ksh335.9 million house in Dubai. The tweet referred to Lagat as part of the Mafia police.
Kanja told the Senate that the tweets were defamatory, unverified, and posed a public concern. He explained that investigations were launched under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act of 2018.
According to Kanja, a team of cybercrime officers was assigned to the case, and the EACC was contacted to verify the corruption claims. The EACC reportedly confirmed that there was no active investigation into Lagat. Based on this, the police obtained a warrant and arrested Ojwang. The Communications Authority of Kenya also confirmed that the social media accounts @pixelpenerai and @KevinMwicheres were connected to the suspects.
But following Ojwang’s death in custody, a post-mortem report cast doubt on the official police version of events. Police had initially claimed that he died after hitting his head against the wall of a cell.
However, government pathologist Dr. Bernard Midia, who conducted the autopsy alongside an independent expert hired by Ojwang’s family, strongly disputed this.
Midia said that the injuries were not consistent with a single fall or impact. Instead, Ojwang had several head injuries spread across his face, sides, and back of the head, suggesting he had suffered multiple blows. He also noted bruises and injuries on the upper limbs and torso, which he said were unlikely to have been self-inflicted.
“When we tie this together with the other injuries well spread across his body, this is unlikely to be a self-inflicted injury,” Midia said.
