Africa-Press – Kenya. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has asked President William Ruto to walk the talk and rid the police service of rogue officers who are alleged to be behind extrajudicial killings.
The President on Wednesday June 11 condemned the death of social media influencer and teacher Albert Ojwang’ in the hands of police officers and asked the National Police Service (NPS) to “eradicate misconduct and unprofessional behaviour within its own ranks.”
“I therefore call on the National Police Service… to take every necessary measure to facilitate a swift, transparent, and credible investigation into the death of Ojwang,” the President said.
Ojwang was arrested in Homa Bay on Saturday, June 7, and transported to Nairobi’s Central police station following a complaint by Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat that he had tarnished his name in a social media post.
Autopsy examination revealed that he was tortured and strangled to death while in police custody.
The death sparked national and international condemnation, with mounting calls for Lagat to resign.
Speaking on Friday during an impromptu visit at Sabasaba, Maragua Constituency, in Muranga county, Gachagua said the President should take personal initiative and ensure the police service is free of rogue officers.
The former President’s principal assistant said there should be no place for extrajudicial killings in Kenya today.
“I have seen William Ruto say that he is not going to allow rogue police officers, but those officers are under his command.”
Gachagua said the spate of abductions and enforced disappearances that have rocked the Kenya Kwanza administration should not be allowed to continue.
The former DP alleged that the acts of criminality that have resulted in the deaths of Kenyans who go missing are perpetrated by a secret unit of highly trained officers.
“Even those people who were abducted in Elgeyo Marakwet, postmortem shows they were tortured. We must demand accountability and call on the current regime to put to an end to such violations of human rights,” Gachagua said.
On Thursday, NPS said one police officer was arrested in connection to the torture and murder of Ojwang. He was arraigned on Friday at Milimani Law Courts.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) asked to have him detained for 21 days at Capitol Hill police station as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, detectives tasked by Ipoa to arrest three other police officers linked to Ojwang’s murder said they have been unable to trace them.
“They have switched off their mobile phones and we can’t find them for now. We are, however, optimistic to find them for justice,” said one official aware of the operation.
At least 23 people, including 17 police officers, have been questioned thus far.
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