The father of the late teacher, Albert Omondi Ojwang, has asked the High Court to halt the ongoing murder trial and compel authorities to include Deputy Inspector-General of Police Eliud Kipkoech Lagat as a key suspect. He argues that Lagat played a central role in the chain of events that led to his son’s arrest, torture, and eventual death while in police custody.
In a detailed affidavit presented to the court, Meshack Ojwang claims his son was apprehended on June 7, 2025, by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. The arrest allegedly followed social-media posts in which Albert questioned Lagat’s conduct and raised claims of corruption. According to the father, the arresting officers acted under Lagat’s direct orders.
Ojwang states that his son was taken to the national police headquarters, where he was detained for hours under what the family describes as “inhumane and violent conditions.” A post-mortem report later revealed multiple injuries consistent with torture, including severe blunt-force trauma and signs of strangulation — findings that strongly contradicted the initial official police narrative.
Police had first reported Albert’s death as a suicide, claiming he repeatedly struck his head against the wall of the cell. However, the autopsy findings dismissed this explanation, showing injuries that could not reasonably be self-inflicted. The family believes this contradiction points to an attempted cover-up within the police force, with junior officers being used as scapegoats.
Several officers are already facing murder charges in the ongoing case at the High Court in Kibera. However, Albert’s father insists the trial cannot continue without also charging the senior officer he accuses of giving the orders. His lawyer has emphasized that proceeding without Lagat undermines the core principle of command responsibility, where not only perpetrators but also those who issue directives should be held accountable.
Legal experts note that adding Lagat to the case may require the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to review existing evidence. While the defence for Lagat has maintained that only the ODPP can decide on whether or not he should be prosecuted, the victim’s family argues that the available evidence — including the autopsy report and communication records — is sufficient to warrant his inclusion.
The matter has drawn strong public interest and reaction from civil-society groups and human-rights organizations. Many have echoed the family’s demand, urging the justice system to ensure that no individual, regardless of rank or influence, is shielded from accountability. They argue that justice must be seen to be done, and that the integrity of the police service is at stake.
For Meshack Ojwang, the issue is deeply personal. He describes his son as a hardworking and principled individual whose life was abruptly taken due to what he believes was state-sanctioned brutality. “My son’s blood cries out for justice,” he said, stressing that the fight is not only for Albert but for all families who have suffered similar losses under unclear circumstances.
The High Court is yet to make a ruling on whether the trial will be suspended or whether Lagat will be added as an accused person. The case now stands at a delicate point, touching on broader concerns about police accountability, the limits of authority, and the need for transparent investigations when state officials are implicated.
If the court agrees with Ojwang’s request, the scope of the trial could widen significantly, potentially setting a major precedent for how Kenya deals with allegations of extrajudicial killings and abuse of power by high-ranking security officials. For now, the nation waits as one grieving father continues his pursuit for truth and justice — a pursuit he vows he will not abandon until those responsible are brought before the law.
Image by Nairobi Law Monthly
