Kenya police boss steps aside after death of blogger sparks protests
Kenya's deputy police chief, Eliud Langat, has stepped aside amid investigations into the death of blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody.
Ojwang, accused of defaming Langat, was arrested on June 6 for allegedly publishing false information and was found dead two days later in a cell, with police claiming he died from hitting his head against the wall.
A pathology report contradicted the police account, indicating that Ojwang's death was due to head injury, neck compression, and other injuries indicative of assault.
The officer commanding the Central Police Station, Samson Talam, and his colleague, James Mukhwana, were arrested last week as investigations continue, with President William Ruto vowing to protect citizens from rogue police officers.
Ojwang's death has sparked protests in Nairobi and has drawn attention to Kenya's history of police brutality, occurring almost a year after activists were allegedly abducted and killed by police during finance bill protests.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
16 hours ago
- BBC News
Kenya deputy police chief step aside over di death of Albert Ojwang for police custody
Kenya Deputy Police Chief, Eliud Lagat, don step aside to allow for investigation into di death of Albert Ojwang, wey die for police custody. Lagat, announce di decision on Monday, as protesters dey demand for accountability and im immediate removal from office for days. "In di good and conscious thought of my role and responsibilities as di Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Service, and in view of di ongoing investigation on di unfortunate incident of di death of Mr. Albert Ojwang. Today I don decide to step aside from di office of di Deputy Inspector General Kenya Police Service pending completion of investigations," e tok. Dem arrest di blogger and teacher, afta Lagat file formal complaint against am, accusing am of sharing defamatory content on di social media platform X. E die for police custody and autopsy don reveal say im die of from likely beatings. "Di cause of death dey very clear; head injury, neck compression and oda injuries spread all ova di body and dat dey point towards assault," state pathologist Bernard Midia tok. Dem detain di 31-year-old Ojwang afta di deputy police chief, accuse am say im tarnish im name on social media. Lagat don deny say im dey involved in di death but im tok say e go fully cooperate wit investigators. "I undertake to provide any support wey dey required of me during di investigations of di unfortunate incident," e tok. "I offer immense condolences to di family of Mr. Albert Ojwang for dia great loss." Until dem conclude di probe, Lagat no go get any access to im office, and na im deputy go handle im functions. Di move dey come as pressure dey, wit more demonstrations wey dey planned dis week by activists wey dey demand for independent and transparent investigation into di case. Kenya President Williams Ruto inside one statement on Wednesday tok say "di tragic occurrence for di hands of di police dey heart-breaking and unacceptable." "I strongly condemn di actions and omissions, wey include any negligence or outright criminality wey fit contribute to im untimely death," President Ruto tok. Di kontri leader call on di National Police Service to fully cooperate wit di Independent Policing Oversight Authority wey dey torchlight di mata, and make dem ensure transparent, and credible investigation into di death of Oga Ojwang. Di president assure say di truth about wetin really happun to Ojwang go come out soon, and justice go dey served. E also caution di public against making "premature judgments or drawing conclusions wey fit scata di process and its outcome". Wetin di autopsy show? Police arrest Oga Ojwang for Homa Bay, one town for western Kenya, on Friday, sake of one post e make on X wey allegedly dey critical of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat. Dem later transfer am go di capital, Nairobi, wey dey ova 350km (220 miles) from wia dem arrest am and book am for di Central Police Station on Saturday. Police tok say dem later find am unconscious for im cell wit injuries e do on imself (self-inflicted injuries). But one autopsy, wey five pathologists carry out and dem release unanimous report, reveal say Ojwang get severe head injuries and e suffer neck compression and multiple soft tissue trauma. Dr Midia, wey lead di team of pathologists, tok say Mr Ojwang no hit imself on di wall, as police bin tok for statement on Sunday. E say if Ojwang bin injure imsef, di pattern of injuries for dey different, and dem go see frontal bleeding on im head. "But di bleeds wey we see on di scalp… for di skin of di head no dey togeda, including on di face, sides of di head and for di back of di head," Dr Midia tok for one press conference. "Multiple soft tissue injuries also dey wey spread all ova di body, including for di head, neck, upper limbs plus di trunk and lower limbs... these na injuries from attack," e add. Di injuries dey consistent wit "external assault" and signs of struggle also dey, according to pathologists. Inside one initial statement, police tok say Ojwang "bin sustain head injuries afta e hit im head against one cell wall" for custody. However, Ojwang family lawyer, Julius Juma, tok say di body show signs of severe physical trauma, wey include swelling on di head, nose and ears. Oga Juma also say im see bruises on Ojwang shoulders and hands - injuries wey e say no dey consistent wit one single impact against a wall. Speaking at a press conference, Inspector General Douglas Kanja tok say di police go give di investigators all "necessary support" to solve di case. Dem find Ojwang unconscious during one routine inspection of di cells and dem "rush am go hospital, wia dem pronounce am dead on arrival", police tok. Di director of Amnesty International Kenya branch, Irungu Houghton, tell BBC say Ojwang death dey "very suspicious". Oga Houghton tok say e dey "quite shocking" say dem no book Ojwang for di local police station afta dem detain am, but instead dem carry am on long journey. On Sunday, 8 June, e call on independent investigators to secure wetin e describe as "di crime scene" for di police station for Nairobi. Ojwang death for detention dey come at a time of rising concern on top how dem dey treat some goment critics. Last week, software developer Rose Njeri, wey create one tool to help pipo oppose one goment finance bill, dem sama am charge wit accuse say she violate cybercrime law. She deny di charge.
BBC News
17 hours ago
- BBC News
Eliud Lagat steps aside amid uproar over death of Kenyan blogger Albert Ojwang in detention
Kenya's deputy police chief Eliud Lagat has stepped aside pending the outcome of investigations into the death in detention of blogger Albert Lagat had been under pressure to resign from the opposition and human rights activists as Mr Ojwang was arrested after he filed a complaint, accusing the blogger of defaming him on social media. Police initially said that Mr Ojwang died of self-inflicted wounds, but were forced to retract the statement after an autopsy found that he was likely to have died from assault wounds. Mr Lagat denied any wrongdoing, but said in a statement that he was stepping aside in the "good and conscious thought" of his responsibilities as deputy police chief. "I undertake to provide any support that may be required of me during the investigations of the unfortunate incident," Mr Lagat said. "I offer immense condolences to the family of Mr Albert Ojwang for their great loss," he added. Until the investigation is concluded, Mr Lagat will have no access to his office, and his duties will be performed by his comes amid intensifying pressure, with more demonstrations planned this week by activists demanding a transparent investigation into the 31-year-old blogger's Ojwang was arrested in his village of Kakoth, near the western town of Homa Bay, on 7 June. He was then driven to the main police station in Nairobi, and was reported to have died a few days an initial statement, police said Mr Ojwang was found unconscious in his cell and was rushed to a city hospital, where he succumbed to head injuries allegedly sustained from banging his head against the an autopsy report and an investigation by the police watchdog, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), ruled out the possibility that Mr Ojwang might have killed investigations continue, the head of the police station has been detained, along with another officer and a technician accused of disabling the station's chief Douglas Kanja has apologised for the initial police claim that the blogger died of self-inflicted wounds, saying it was based on "misinformation" from his juniors. More BBC stories on Kenya: BBC identifies security forces who shot Kenya anti-tax protestersBatons, tear gas, live fire - Kenyans face police brutalityWhy Kenya's president has so many nicknames Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
The Independent
18 hours ago
- The Independent
Kenya police boss steps aside after death of blogger sparks protests
Kenya's deputy police chief, Eliud Langat, has stepped aside amid investigations into the death of blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody. Ojwang, accused of defaming Langat, was arrested on June 6 for allegedly publishing false information and was found dead two days later in a cell, with police claiming he died from hitting his head against the wall. A pathology report contradicted the police account, indicating that Ojwang's death was due to head injury, neck compression, and other injuries indicative of assault. The officer commanding the Central Police Station, Samson Talam, and his colleague, James Mukhwana, were arrested last week as investigations continue, with President William Ruto vowing to protect citizens from rogue police officers. Ojwang's death has sparked protests in Nairobi and has drawn attention to Kenya's history of police brutality, occurring almost a year after activists were allegedly abducted and killed by police during finance bill protests.
