- Government pathologist Bernard Midia confirmed blogger Albert Ojwang was assaulted in police custody, disputing earlier claims of self-inflicted injuries
- Kenyans have called for the dismissal, arrest, and prosecution of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat implicated in the murder case
- Disability activist Michael Makarina has defended Lagat, alleging opposition leaders are politicising the incident to undermine the police leadership
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Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
Nairobi: The death of blogger Albert Ojwang has continued to fuel public outrage after a government-conducted autopsy revealed he was assaulted to death.
This outcome contradicted an earlier police report that claimed his injuries were self-inflicted.
The postmortem examination was carried out on Tuesday, June 10, at the City Mortuary by government pathologist Dr Bernard Midia.
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The report confirmed that Ojwang, who was arrested last week, suffered injuries consistent with physical assault.
The findings have thus intensified calls for the dismissal, arrest, and prosecution of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, who is alleged to have ordered Ojwang’s arrest.
A day after Ojwang’s death, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said Ojwang was detained for allegedly publishing false information on his social media platform, X, that reportedly damaged the reputation of Lagat.
How did Michael Makarina defend Eliud Lagat?
As pressure mounts on the police leadership, disability rights activist and businessman Michael Makarina has defended Lagat, claiming the issue is being politicised by opposition leaders seeking to settle political scores.
“There are things I know about this government that many people do not. I urge President William Ruto not to be misled by the opposition into firing Lagat. The opposition was waiting for an opportunity, and they found it when the DIG reported his case,” Makarina said.
He further alleged that some opposition figures have entrenched themselves within government security structures and are using the incident to destabilise the current administration.
“Mr President, you must stand with IG Kanja and his deputies in this matter. I urge Kanja to ensure that those who killed Ojwang are arrested and detained immediately. The issue of who ordered the arrest can be handled later, as it will take longer. That is why Lagat is being unfairly dragged into this case,” he said.
While acknowledging that no one is above the law, the wealthy businessman insisted that Lagat is innocent in this particular incident.
He stated: “I am not saying Lagat is incapable of committing a crime, but in this case, he is not the killer. He is a devoted Catholic, and as Catholics, we cannot kill for we know that murder is a grave sin. Lagat has been wrongly accused,” he claimed.
Why is Lagat being linked to Ojwang’s murder?
Makarina also raised concerns over the ethnic composition of urban police stations, claiming that most are staffed by officers from the Kalenjin community, which he said has made Lagat a target for political attacks.
He urged the government to ensure that police stations are manned by officers from diverse ethnic backgrounds to avoid the perception of ethnic favouritism within the service.
“The matter is now being politicised. I urge the president to firmly support IG Kanja and his deputies in ensuring justice is served,” he added.
What else you need to know about Albert Ojwang’s death
Source: TUKO.co.ke
