The High Court in Nakuru has heard fresh testimony linking Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers to the death of missing fisherman Brian Odhiambo, whose body was allegedly last seen inside a KWS vehicle.
During a hearing on Monday, September 8, a prosecution witness told Principal Magistrate Kipkurui Kibelion that Odhiambo’s motionless body was on the back of a green KWS Land Cruiser. The witness, who is currently serving a four-year jail term for illegal fishing, claimed that rangers threatened to beat him when he tried to inquire about the fisherman’s condition.
The court heard that on January 19, KWS rangers apprehended six fishermen, including the witness, before transporting them by boat to Summit, Nakuru. They were ordered to lie on their stomachs as a KWS vehicle approached. The witness recounted seeing Odhiambo inside the vehicle, shirtless and dressed in black shorts with white stripes.
“One of the rangers checked his pulse and tried to wake him up, but there was no response. That is when he told his colleagues that the man had died,” the witness testified.
A second witness, currently held in Nyandarua, corroborated the account and identified Odhiambo from photographs. Both pointed out six KWS rangers accused of his abduction.
The testimony, however, contradicted an earlier account given by a KWS ranger, who told the court on January 29 that Odhiambo had escaped custody. According to the ranger, the fisherman allegedly fled after requesting to relieve himself while being transported in the vehicle. He denied claims that Odhiambo was assaulted or harmed while in their care.
The case, which has attracted public attention due to concerns over human rights and accountability, is nearing its conclusion. The final prosecution witness is expected to testify at the scene of the alleged abduction on November 10.
