Opposition leaders have moved to court in a bid to compel Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat to resign following the death of Albert Ojwang.
In a statement dated Friday, June 13, DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa revealed that they had filed a petition before the High Court. Wamalwa added that they were seeking to have the court direct the DIG to leave office.
According to the opposition leaders, DIG was a person of interest in the case and needed to be out of office to allow for impartial investigations into the matter.
Initially, the leaders had issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the DIG to resign from his position.
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"The United Opposition’s 24-hour ultimatum having expired without the expected action being taken against the said prime suspect, by this regime, we have proceeded with legal action, which includes petitioning the High Court to direct the stepping aside of the DIG to facilitate proper investigations to be carried out," read the statement in part.
The leaders also announced they would be commencing private prosecution against the DIG.
Lagat was the complainant who made a report to the police over social media posts by Ojwang.
Ojwang was later arrested in Homa Bay and transferred to Nairobi. While in Nairobi, the teacher died with a postmortem report indicating that he was assaulted.
IPOA revealed that the DIG would be summoned in due course to record a statement as the investigations continue.
"Our technical team stated that they would have preferred to take statements from all the police men before they can confront him, being the final person who made the complaint.
"I think it is much better that way," IPOA Chairperson Ahmed Issack Hassan stated in Parliament.
