Inspector General of Police (IG) Douglas Kanja has publicly revealed the senior state officer who lodged a formal complaint against the late social media influencer Albert Ojwang, accusing him of tarnishing his reputation.
Speaking at Nairobi Central Police Station, IG Kanja stated that days before Ojwang’s death, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Kenya Police Service, Eliud Langat, had formally reported that the influencer’s online remarks had damaged his name. According to Kanja, this complaint set in motion the chain of events that led to Ojwang’s arrest.
“The main reason why the late Albert Ojwang was arrested, alongside a few others, was because there was a complaint launched by the DIG KPS about his name being tarnished. It is on that basis that investigations were being carried out,” Kanja said.
In a move likely to fuel further debate, the IG defended the arrest, insisting that senior officers also have a right to protection from defamation.
“He (DIG KPS) also has a right to be protected by the state,” Kanja remarked.
The disclosure comes amid heightened public scrutiny over the circumstances surrounding Ojwang’s death while in police custody, with multiple agencies continuing to investigate the case.
By Creatorhub