The Nakuru Law Courts has ruled that six Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers have a case to answer in connection with the disappearance of fisherman Brian Odhiambo.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the officers Francis Wachira, Alexander Lorogoi, Isaac Ochieng Odhiambo, Michael Wabukala, Evans Kimaiyo, and Abdulrahaman Ali Sudi are accused of abducting Odhiambo on January 18, 2025, in Bondeni, Nakuru East Sub-County, with the alleged intent of wrongfully confining him.
The six officers denied the charges before Magistrate Kipkurui Kibelion. However, the prosecution team, led by counsel Win Kihumba and Dan Smith Mbalasi, presented evidence indicating that Odhiambo was arrested during an operation at Lake Nakuru National Park and later went missing while in the custody of the accused officers.
After reviewing the submissions, the court ruled that there was sufficient evidence to place the officers on their defence. The case is now scheduled for a defence hearing on June 8, 2026.
Evidence Linking Officers to the Case
Chief Inspector Julius Muhuri testified during a hearing on November 11, 2025, that Odhiambo’s phone signals were traced near the suspects’ phones at the time of his alleged arrest for illegal fishing inside Lake Nakuru National Park.
“When we analyzed the information, we were able to see they were in close proximity with Brian Odhiambo at around 10:00 hours to 11:00 hours. That was the time Brian Odhiambo was reportedly arrested by the said KWS officers,” Muhuri noted.
He further revealed that the KWS rangers failed to record Odhiambo’s arrest or escape in their official occurrence book, raising questions about accountability.
“The KWS officers that day never booked any suspect that had escaped from their custody or any incident that they had arrested anyone who had escaped. However, we noted in the remarks column there was an entry that was appended there,” he added.
Next Steps
The defence hearing will determine whether the six officers are culpable in Odhiambo’s disappearance, a case that has drawn public attention due to its implications for accountability within Kenya’s wildlife enforcement agencies.
