Kenyan deputy police chief temporarily relinquishes duties following a controversial blogger's demise
Cool, check out the low-down on this Kenyan drama!
A high-ranking cop, Eliud Lagat, the deputy police chief, has given the heave-ho temporarily while investigations into a blogger's death unfold. Yep, you heard that right. The blogger, Albert Ojwang, kicked the bucket in police custody, and it's stirred up a hornet's nest of protests and grumbles.
Lagat said on Monday that he's taking a temporary leave of absence from his position as the bigwigs look into Ojwang's demise. Ojwang was cuffed for posting smack against Lagat on social media. He was carted 400 kilometers to Nairobi, then two days later, he was found keeled over at the Central Police Station.
As you might guess, there's some debate over how Ojwang's life came to an end. Cops claimed he clunked his melon against the wall, but a pathology report suggests otherwise—it hints at assault. Two officers have been nabbed for questioning in connection with the death, yet the investigation's still in its early stages.
The uproar over Ojwang's death syncs up with the anniversary of massive anti-government protests. These protests left many dead back then, and now folks are calling for Lagat's resignation in the streets of Nairobi.
But wait, there's more—it appears the investigation into Ojwang's death is getting serious, with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) looking to haul in Eliud Lagat for a chat. His testimony could be crucial to the probe. In the meantime, Patrick Tito, his assistant, is standing in for Lagat during this period.
So, that's the latest on the Ojwang investigation. Eliud Lagat claims he took the time off to play a fair game during the investigations and support them as needed. Let's see how this shakes out!
Sources:
- "Kenyan Deputy Police Chief Steps Aside Over Blogger's Death" - BBC News
- "Kenya Deputy Police Chief steps aside over death of blogger Albert Ojwang" - Al Jazeera English
- "Kenya: Deputy Police Chief steps aside amid investigations into blogger's death" - The Guardian
- "Kenya: Blogger's death prompts deputy police chief to step aside" - Daily Nation
- "Officers arrested in connection with death of Kenyan blogger Albert Ojwang" - Reuters
Editor's note:In case you were wondering, Eliud Lagat hasn't resigned but has temporarily stepped aside from his duties. The headline and intro have been clarified to better reflect this fact.
The government is monitoring the Ojwang investigations closely, as politics in Kenya continue to swirl with the death of blogger Albert Ojwang. The media is heavily covering this general-news story, including crime-and-justice aspects, as the independent investigative body, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), has expressed interest in questioning the deputy police chief, Eliud Lagat.
