Eliud Lagat: The bomb expert at the centre of Albert Ojwang's murder probe

Inspector General of Police (IG) Douglas Kanja revealed that DIG Lagat was the complainant behind the arrest of Ojwang', as he alleged that the deceased had made defamatory remarks against him on his X platform.

IG Kanja told Senators on Wednesday that the probe started when online posts claimed DIG Lagat was involved in corruption within the National Police Service (NPS).

"The post claimed that he was involved in corruption within the NPS. Specifically, the published information alleged that Lagat has strategically placed his most trusted officers in charge of the DCI books desk and traffic shifts in order to control both revenue streams and intelligence flow," Kanja said.

Kanja added that another post depicted DIG Lagat alongside Joseph Chirchir, a senior traffic commander, under the caption "EACC investigating top cop after purchase of $2.6 million home in Dubai, accompanied by Lagat's image and the headline "Eliud Lagat mafia police".

But as the probe ensues, little is known about Lagat's rise to his current police post that has spanned over 25 years.

He took office in 2024, succeeding Kanja, who was promoted to Inspector General position. Lagat is mandated to oversee the day-to-day administration and operations of the Kenya Police Service, overseeing coordination, supervision, training, and internal oversight within the unit.

Before his DIG role, he was the Commandant of the General Service Unit (GSU) since 2023, an elite unit within the National Police Service.

Prior to the role, he served as the Director of Reforms at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in 2022 and before that, he was the Head of the Bomb and Hazardous Materials Unit at the bureau.

During this period, he was among ten candidates shortlisted to fill the position of DCI boss that was left vacant after the resignation of George Kinoti.

The National Police Service (NPS) says that Lagat holds a Master’s Degree in Armed Conflict and Peace Studies from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Technology in Automotive from the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton.

He has also received several prestigious awards throughout his career among them the Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS), the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) of Kenya, Head of State Commendation (HSC), the Silver Star (SS) of Kenya and the coveted “NDC” (K) from the National Defence College.

His fate now hangs in the balance as a heightened probe into the case ensues, as civil rights activists and Kenyans call for his resignation over claims that he is responsible for Ojwang's death.