The murder of Albert Ojwang has exposed just how weak and compromised Kenya’s justice system has become, especially when powerful individuals are involved.
The strongest evidence linking Eliud Lagat to Ojwang’s brutal death is communication between Lagat and Nairobi Central Police Station’s OCS, Samson Talaam. It is now clear that Lagat gave the order for Ojwang’s arrest and torture, which led to his death in police custody.
But instead of moving swiftly to bring all responsible to justice, including Lagat, the system is now being twisted to cover up the truth.
And at the centre of this shameful cover-up are the very institutions that are supposed to fight for justice IPOA and the DPP.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority had in its possession Talaam’s phone, which contains the key evidence linking Lagat to the murder.
But a scheme involving the National Intelligence Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations was put together to get IPOA to hand over the phone to the DCI. The excuse was crafted: they claimed Talaam used the phone to extort money. That lie is meant to convince the courts to allow DCI to take the phone, not to investigate corruption, but to erase evidence that would bring down Lagat.
And IPOA is now playing along.IPOA knows very well that the phone is the single most important piece of evidence in this case. Their investigations already led to the DPP approving murder charges against Talaam, two other police officers, and three civilians. But the truth doesn’t end with them.
Lagat gave the orders, and that phone proves it. If IPOA allows the phone to be released to the same security agencies working to protect Lagat, they will not only destroy the case they will destroy their own credibility.
How can an oversight body tasked with protecting the public from police abuses turn around and hand evidence to the very people it’s supposed to investigate?
The DPP is no better. After approving the charges against the six, the DPP has gone silent on Lagat’s role despite having access to IPOA’s full file. Why hasn’t Lagat been charged? Why is there hesitation when the evidence is there? Is it because Lagat is politically untouchable?
These are the questions Kenyans are now asking. If the DPP allows IPOA’s evidence to be tampered with, he will be just another player in a wider cover-up to protect state criminals.
Albert Ojwang’s death caused anger across the country because people saw what it represented police brutality, impunity, and a broken system. Now that anger is being made worse by a justice system that seems to protect killers instead of punishing them. While juniors are lined up for trial, Lagat is being shielded.
And even worse, Adamson Bungei the same man accused of commanding police during the Gen Z protests is now sitting comfortably as Director of Operations.
Police violence last week didn’t happen by accident. It happened with the knowledge and approval of Inspector General Douglas Kanja and Bungei. Yet they face no action.
This is what happens in a country where those close to power are above the law. Lagat is too important to Ruto’s survival, so everyone else must carry the blame. If IPOA caves in and DPP stays silent, then Ojwang’s murder will go down as another state-sanctioned killing covered up in plain sight. This is the moment to act, or admit that justice in Kenya is only for the powerless.
