IG Kanja says Lagat to step aside only if named in probe

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said his deputy, Eliud Lagat, will only step aside if his name comes up in the ongoing investigation into the death of Albert Ojwang.

Speaking to the National Assembly Security Committee on Thursday, Kanja explained that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) is leading the probe, and all individuals mentioned in connection with the case will be required to give statements.

"This is about the DIG stepping aside to allow for investigation. Only this one. There is an ongoing investigation by IPOA and in these investigations, every person whose name will be mentioned is to have played any role that led to the death of the late Albert, must record his statement, must show his side," Kanja said.

"And it is on that basis, I believe if the DIG is going to be mentioned, then definitely he’ll be able to step aside to allow for that cooperation of that investigation."

Kanja also apologized for the initial statement after Ojwang’s death that wrongly claimed the officer had hit his head on a wall.

He said the report was based on early information received that Sunday morning.

"Why the people of Kenya should believe that what we are telling this committee is believable. Let me start by saying that, as I did say yesterday, the information, the primary information that we got that early morning of Sunday is that the late had hit his head on the walls, and based on that, the first statement was issued based on that information," he told the committee.

He added, "And it is for that reason, the DCI have stated very clearly, why is it that this OCS prepares and dispatch that the DCI has mentioned, and on my part, and on behalf of the National Police Service, I did to the people of Kenya yesterday, I said, I’m very sorry for that information that was provided to the people. I still remain sorry, and the National Police Service remain sorry for that. That is our position."

At the same hearing, Kanja confirmed that one CCTV camera at Central Police Station had been unplugged but said experts are working to recover footage from the hard drive.

"While we were at Senate yesterday, it was mentioned that the power of one of the CCTVs had actually been plugged out. However, the experts are looking at the hard drive and to reconstruct everything. So I believe we are also going to get a lot of information," he said.

"The investigators are going to get a lot of information from the CCTV."

Earlier, IPOA had told the Senate that suicide had been ruled out as the cause of Ojwang’s death.

"The autopsy report and our preliminary investigation rule out the theory of suicide," said IPOA Vice Chair Anne Wanjiku.

She added that CCTV systems at the officer in charge’s office had been tampered with and that IPOA only learned about Ojwang’s death through the media and a police signal from the Inspector General.

IPOA quickly launched a forensic investigation, collected blood samples, secured police records, and retrieved the CCTV DVR for analysis.