Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has responded to calls to have the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Eliud Lagat, step aside following the death of Albert Ojwang.
Speaking in the Senate on Wednesday, June 11, Murkomen noted that due process must be followed and that his office will not interfere with independent investigations.
"This is an ongoing investigation. To the best of my knowledge so far, the only information that we have is that the Deputy Inspector General took the step to report what he thought was a crime committed against him. Nobody has told me whether investigations lead to a particular result; whether it is to protect him, exonerate him or to charge him," he said.
Murkomen made it clear that the responsibility to investigate and take appropriate action lies with independent oversight bodies, not the ministry.
"It is not my responsibility; that responsibility rests with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). As the CS, I will not play a role in pushing for a particular person to be charged or exonerated; the evidence must lead to the suspect, and when we are going after anybody, it must be based on evidence. Otherwise, if you lose that rule of law, everyone will be taking advantage of such occasions to do the same," he added.
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Earlier Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot urged the Lagat to step aside as investigations into the murder of Ojwang go on.
He noted that Lagat finds himself in a complicated position, having launched a complaint against the late Ojwang.
“When you are a deputy of an institution, and you make a complaint which is the right thing to do, but unfortunately, the situation gets complicated by the fact that officers who report to him went and picked this particular young man, and he died under very mysterious circumstances.
“Nobody has said you (Lagat) are guilty, but for the country to appreciate and for me, even as your friend, to appreciate and to be clear of my conscience, you step aside until investigations are concluded so that we know what really happened. Otherwise, as it is, no person of good conscience, even if you were to remain and stand firm on the things that are being said,” he said.
On Monday, June 9, the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, confirmed that Ojwang was arrested after Lagat lodged a complaint.
Speaking at the Central Police Station, Kanja said the complaint by Lagat was about his name being tarnished.
"The complaint was about his name being tarnished; it was on that basis that investigations were being carried out because he (Lagat) also has a right to be protected by the same law," he said.
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