Why Did DIG Lagat Take Leave Right as Blogger’s Murder Probe Began? Court Papers Spark Alarm

 

Just as the country reeled from the suspicious death of blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody, Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat quietly exited the scene—legally on paper, but suspiciously in timing.

New court documents reveal that Lagat’s 18-day annual leave began on June 17, only a day after he publicly claimed to have “stepped aside” for investigations to proceed unimpeded. But the documents now expose a carefully approved leave, signed by Inspector General Douglas Kanja, not a voluntary stepping down as initially believed.

What’s even more unsettling is the speed at which the leave was arranged. Sources familiar with internal police communications say the approval came swiftly and without wider explanation. The leave letter from Kanja included no mention of the high-profile murder investigation, nor any indication of urgency—only a routine handover and a polite wish for rest.

Yet the implications are far from routine. Ojwang had been held at Central Police Station, arrested on defamation allegations filed by none other than Lagat. The blogger later died under unclear circumstances. The timing of Lagat’s leave has now triggered speculation across public and legal circles, with human rights organisations raising alarms over possible obstruction of justice.

Online platforms have lit up with theories: Was the leave a calculated withdrawal to avoid scrutiny? Or is the backlash a misinterpretation of unfortunate timing?

Despite the official documents legitimising Lagat’s absence, they do not explain why his earlier public statement mischaracterised it as stepping aside. IPOA has remained tight-lipped, and the police service has issued no new clarifications.

Lagat is expected back at his post this week. But what he says—or refuses to say—may determine whether this controversy deepens or begins to settle. The nation is watching.