Six KWS officers in court over the disappearance of Nakuru fisherman

Six Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers based at the Lake Nakuru National Park were presented in court over the disappearance of fisherman Brian Odhiambo, 32.

The six KWS officers, who were arrested on Friday are Senior Sergeant Francis Wachira Gachoki and rangers Abdurrahman Ali Sudi, Isaac Ochieng, Evans Kimani, Michael Wabukala and Alex Lorogoi.

The family of the fisherman has expressed hope as they reiterated that the arrest of the six is closer to them and their kin being served justice.

Odiambo’s family and lawyer Abuya Mogendi said they expect the officers to be charged with abducting the fisherman and confining him after they found him fishing in Lake Nakuru.

“The investigations have at least yielded some hope as the officers who are the main suspects in the disappearance of Brian shall be charged and the trial process will begin. I was not informed by them, but we expect something like abduction with the intent to confine. We are yet to see the charge sheet,” Abuya said.

“We hope that at the end of the trial, Brian and his family will find justice,” he added.

According to the lawyer, the process of ensuring the fisherman gets justice has taken long because the people involved have been in a position of privilege.

He urged that regardless of the position of someone in society, justice should be served as stipulated in the law.

“The process of getting justice for Brian has taken long because the officers involved have been in a position of privilege. The unrelenting spirit is what kept us pushing this far. Irrespective of the office someone is holding, in terms of the law, it should treat all of us equally,” he said.

Odhiambo’s wife, Ivy Aoko, expressed optimism as she narrated that it’s been hard answering the kids where their father went.

She pleaded that whether alive or dead, he should be freed, or they should be shown his remains to see them have closure.

“We thank God that the officers have been arrested, and the case officially begins today. But I still insist that my husband should be freed because the kids keep asking where their father is and where he went. They even ask why we do not go for protests to look for their father. I request that they say where he is so that we can have closure, and the kids also know where he is. Whether alive or dead, we want him and allow justice to be served,” she explained.

Further, Odiambo’s mother, Elizabeth Auma, pleaded that the six should not be freed and that the hearing of the case should proceed when they are in remand, as she added that her son should be presented to her alive or dead.

She stated that the Luo culture bars them from ‘throwing’ their loved ones when dead, as she reiterated that if her son died, she should be given his remains for the final rite.

“For the period when we have been looking for him, I have been having questions that do not have answers. I pray that the KWS officers are not freed on bond or bail. Let the case proceed when the accused officers are in remand. Let the government help get him so that even if he is dead, we can lay him to rest as our culture guarantees,” she pleaded.

The arrest of the six is a major step towards having justice for Brian and his family. The question that remains is, where is he? If he is not alive, let them give his body to the family. To the senators and MPS who received our petition, the community needs you to ensure that justice is served,” Vocal Africa Chairperson Hussein Khalid added.

Odhiambo, who was a father of two, disappeared in mid-January this year in the hands of the six officers after he was arrested while getting inside the park to fish.

His disappearance sparked protests for a couple of days in Nakuru City as residents, human rights activists, and his family have been demanding his whereabouts, whether dead or alive.

According to his family, he was arrested after being traced to his home in Manyani estate for allegedly trespassing into the protected park.