Willis Otieno: DIG Lagat has lost moral and institutional credibility
By Nancy Marende, July 14, 2025Lawyer and political commentator Willis Otieno has launched a scathing attack on Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Douglas Kanja Lagat, calling for his immediate resignation over alleged failures in police leadership and accountability.
In a statement on Monday, July 14, 2025, Otieno declared that DIG Lagat has lost both moral and institutional credibility, rendering him unfit to continue serving in his position.
“DIG Lagat has no business occupying that office. He has lost all moral and institutional credibility. He can’t, by any standard, by any law, or by any stretch of decency, continue to hold that position,” he said.
Otieno accused the senior police officer of presiding over a system that has failed to protect citizens, instead becoming a symbol of impunity and brutality.
“His presence is an insult to the Constitution, a threat to public trust, and a slap in the face of every Kenyan demanding justice. He must go not tomorrow, not next week, but now,” he stated.
Albert Ojwang
His remarks come as Lagat is set to return to office after being cleared of any involvement in the controversial death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody in June 2025.
Lagat voluntarily stepped aside on June 16, 2025, amid mounting public pressure, delegating his duties to his principal deputy, Patrick Tito, as the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) launched investigations into the incident.
Inspector General Douglas Kanja has since confirmed that Lagat was found not culpable and is expected to resume his duties.
“I hope to see him back at the office today because he has been cleared by all the investigations,” Kanja said on Sunday, July 13, 2025.
Lagat’s return comes after more than two weeks of intense public scrutiny and legal uncertainty following the death of Albert Ojwang, who was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and later died at the Nairobi Central Police Station on June 8, 2025.
A post-mortem revealed that Ojwang had been strangled and beaten.