Eliud Lagat: Bomb expert entrusted with police reforms

Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat has prioritised making police stations conducive centres within the long arm of the law. However, the death of Albert Ojwang, inside a police station, has put a damper on his efforts.

The DIG’s agenda for nearly a year has been to make police stations centres of excellence through infrastructure upgrade and basic amenities like electricity and water.

Lagat has made impromptu visits to police stations within Nairobi, Central, Eastern, North Eastern, Coast, Rift Valley, Western and Nyanza, where the message has been – making the facilities clean, safe and conducive for the officers, visitors and prisoners.

“A clean station makes our work easier, as citizens feel more comfortable and are more likely to share information with us,” said Lagat at Magadi Police Station in April.

But these efforts will mean nothing if Ojwang was clobbered to death inside a police station, which, in Lagat’s eyes, should be a model holding ground for suspects.

A seasoned career police officer with over 25 years of experience, before being appointed DIG last year, Lagat was the Commandant of the General Service Unit (GSU). He was the Deputy Director of Criminal Investigations briefly.

He served in various capacities, including deputy head of the Crime Scene Support Unit, head of the investigation bureau and later led the Bomb and Hazardous Materials Unit, and the Directorate of Reforms and Complaints at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Lagat holds a Master’s Degree in Armed Conflict and Peace Studies from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Technology in Automotive from the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton.

He has received prestigious awards, including the Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS), the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) of Kenya, Head of State Commendation (HSC), the Silver Star (SS) of Kenya and the “ndc” (K) title from the National Defence College.

The soft-spoken man, Lagat, was born in Kipkaren, Nandi County. He joined the Police Service (then force) in 1998, rising through the ranks, and was once isolated at DCI headquarters at the height of feuds between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.

Lagat was deemed close to Ruto and was sidelined after being removed as head of the Bomb and Hazardous Material Unit.

When Ruto eventually succeeded his boss Uhuru after trouncing Raila Odinga in August 2022, Lagat's star started to shine. The new president immediately appointed him Deputy Director of Criminal Investigations before moving him to GSU as the Commandant.

When the position of DIG became vacant following the elevation of Douglas Kanja, Lagat applied and was appointed after emerging top in interviews.

Albert Ojwang was arrested after Lagat complained that he and others were behind an online smear campaign implicating the DIG in corruption.

Lagat reported the matter to the Cyber Crime Unit at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, where officers Wesley Kipkorir Kirui, Dennis Kinyoni, Milton Mwanze and Boniface Rabudo were tasked to track the group.

The officers travelled to Ojwang’s Kakoth home, in Homa Bay County, where he was picked and brought to Nairobi.

After being interrogated at Mazingira Complex, the DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road, Ojwang was taken to Central Police Station, where contradicting versions emerged.

Initially, Police Spokesman Muchiri Nyaga said Ojwang tried to commit suicide by hitting his head on the wall several times, and that he was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A day later, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja maintained that the father of a five-year-old boy was found in a police cell unconscious, while medics at Mbagathi Hospital said Ojwang was long dead when he was brought in.

The inconsistency of police accounts raised doubts about their sincerity, fueling fears of a cover-up bid. On Wednesday, pressed by Senators, IG Kanja apologised for the contradictory police statements.