Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has angered Kenyans by coming to the defence of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Eliud Lagat amid growing calls for his arrest over the mysterious death of social media influencer Albert Ojwang in police custody.

In a strongly worded statement shared on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, on X, Passaris responded to political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi, who had criticised public pressure targeting Lagat without concrete evidence.

She said she was with Lagat at a Kenya Alliance of Residents Association meeting on Sunday when the news of Ojwang’s death broke, and described Lagat’s reaction as one of genuine shock.

“I was with the Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat during a Kenya Alliance of Residents Association meeting on Sunday when the news broke. He was completely out of the loop. His composure reflected genuine surprise, not that of someone aware of, let alone involved in, the death of Albert Ojwang,” she said.

The lawmaker called for a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident and cautioned against scapegoating.

“Let the investigations be thorough and impartial. The real perpetrators must be brought to book, not scapegoats,” she stated.

Ngunyi had earlier warned that misdirected public anger could allow the true culprits to go unpunished.

“If I killed Albert Ojwang using police networks, then blamed it on DIG Lagat, who would defend Eliud Lagat? He has no rights. Why? We have made up our minds. Do not confuse us with the facts. If I killed Ojwang, and we push for #ArrestEliudLagat, the killer would walk free. True?” Ngunyi wrote.

Albert Ojwang’s death has triggered public outrage and demands for accountability from the police. The influencer was arrested on Saturday, June 7,2025, at his home in Kakot village, Homa Bay County, by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

Ojwang’s death

He was accused of posting content online deemed offensive to a senior government official. After a brief detention at Mawego Police Station, he was transferred overnight to Nairobi’s Central Police Station.

His family expected him to appear in court on Monday, June 9, 2025. But on Sunday, June 8, 2025, they were informed that he had died in custody. Police claimed he died from self-inflicted injuries, allegedly after hitting his head against a wall, a version of events the family has strongly rejected.

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Ojwang’s father, Meshack Opiyo, said his son was healthy at the time of arrest and had no reason to harm himself.

“They said he had insulted a senior person on X. Later, they transferred him to Nairobi, and now they are telling me he died from self-inflicted injuries. I don’t believe it. I want the truth,” Opiyo said.

A postmortem conducted on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, raised serious questions about the police account. Forensic pathologist Bernard Midia reported extensive head injuries, neck compression, bruises on the torso and upper limbs, and defensive wounds on the hands, all signs consistent with physical assault.

“The bleeds were spaced across the scalp, face, and back of the head, not consistent with hitting a wall,” Midia said.