“What Did My Son Do to Lagat?” – Father of Slain Blogger Demands Justice as Public Fury Gros

NAIROBI, Kenya June 14 – The father of Albert Ojwang, the 31-year-old Kenyan blogger who died in police custody, has made a powerful public appeal, demanding answers from Deputy Inspector-General of Police Eliud Lagat—the man whose complaint led to his son’s arrest and eventual murder in police custody.

“I should see or hear from him [Lagat] what my child did to him,” said Meshack Ojwang Opiyo in an emotional interview in Nairobi at the weekend.

His words, filled with grief and disbelief, have struck a national chord. They echo the mounting frustration of many Kenyans as the government faces growing pressure to address a case that has become a flashpoint in the fight against police brutality and impunity.

“At least I would have some peace knowing the reason why he took my child. I came to Nairobi with a title deed, and I will leave with a death certificate,” he said, referring to the land ownership document he carried to Nairobi in the hope of securing bond for his only son.

Albert Ojwang was arrested two weeks ago from his Homa Bay home, over a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), allegedly criticising DIG Lagat.

A day later, he was dead. Police initially claimed he had been found unconscious in his cell at Central Police Station and later died in hospital.

But a post-mortem told a different story.

The autopsy revealed blunt force trauma to the head, neck compression, and extensive soft tissue injuries—findings consistent with a violent assault, not self-harm. The revelation triggered public outrage and nationwide protests.

Speaking through tears, Ojwang’s widow, Nevnine Onyango, demanded justice and accountability from the very institution tasked with protecting her husband.

“I blame the police because they were supposed to protect him, and Albert was in their hands,” she said. “If you are in police custody, that is somewhere you’re supposed to be safe. Our lives are not supposed to end in such a place. It’s heartbreaking.”

She recalled their final phone call: “Albert was asking if he was safe, because he wasn’t sure.”

The family’s anguish has added a deeply human face to a case that has drawn international attention. Civil society groups, opposition leaders, and online activists have condemned the silence from senior police officials—especially DIG Lagat, who has yet to publicly respond to calls for his resignation.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has also joined calls for justice, condemning Ojwang’s killing as cowardly and demanding a thorough investigation. “In the strongest terms possible, I condemn this cowardly act by the killers and call for speedy investigations. Culprits must be brought to book,” Gachagua said. He demanded the immediate suspension of DIG Lagat, accusing him of overseeing torture chambers within police stations and running a “killer squad.”

Gachagua dismissed the suspension of junior officers as an attempt to deflect public anger, stating: “Suspending junior officers… is hoodwinking Kenyans. For any meaningful investigations… Mr. Eliud Lagat must be suspended immediately.” In an even more scathing critique of the Ruto administration, he declared: “It is now clear that the so-called Broad-based Government is a Blood-Based Government whose engine is powered by the blood of Gen Zs.”

President William Ruto, speaking earlier last week, labelled Ojwang’s death “heartbreaking and unacceptable,” and vowed that all “criminals, whether civilian or in uniform, will be dealt with decisively.”

But for the Ojwang family, such assurances are no longer enough.

“We brought up Albert with discipline,” said Opiyo, his voice trembling. “He was an honest man who only asked questions online. Is that a crime worth dying for?”

As pressure mounts, arrests have begun. At least three senior police officers—including Samson Talam, the Officer Commanding Nairobi Central Police Station—a constable and a CCTV technician have been arrested in connection with the case.

In a further breakthrough, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) arrested three civilian detainees—Gin Ammitou Abwao, Collins Karani Ireri and Brian Mwaniki Njue—allegedly used by police officers to torture Ojwang while in custody.

IPOA also confirmed that key CCTV footage from the station had been tampered with, with disks reportedly formatted shortly after Ojwang’s death. Investigators are now working to reconstruct a critical 36-hour timeline from the recovered data.

Rights advocates have now joined calls for DIG Lagat to step aside and allow for a full, impartial investigation.

Violent protests erupted in Nairobi last week as hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets demanding justice for Albert Ojwang. The protests, which began peacefully outside the Central Police Station, quickly escalated into clashes with anti-riot police.

Protesters blocked major roads, lit bonfires, and hurled stones, while police responded with tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets. Several people were injured in the ensuing chaos. Chants of “Lagat must go” and “Stop killing us” rang through the city centre as demonstrators accused the police of a cover-up and called for the immediate resignation of Deputy Inspector-General Eliud Lagat.

The demonstrations were marked by visible anger and frustration, with many carrying placards bearing Ojwang’s image and slogans denouncing police brutality. Protesters specifically targeted symbols of state power, including Parliament Road and Harambee Avenue, where they demanded structural reforms and accountability for extrajudicial killings. Civil society groups, opposition figures, and youth-led movements voiced support for the protests, describing Ojwang’s death as emblematic of a broader culture of impunity within Kenya’s security agencies.

Fresh protests are planned for this week in Nairobi and other major towns, with organisers vowing to sustain the pressure until justice is served. Human rights groups have announced a series of coordinated demonstrations, including vigils, marches to government offices and public forums on police reforms. Security agencies have already heightened their presence across the capital, raising fears of another violent confrontation.

Demonstrators say the protests will focus on three core demands: the resignation of DIG Lagat, a transparent and independent probe into Ojwang’s death, and a broader crackdown on systemic police abuse.