Six rangers charged with abducting fisherman put on defence

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Six Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers, charged with abducting missing Nakuru fisherman Brian Odhiambo on January 18, 2025, have a case to answer.

The six are Senior Sergeant Francis Wachira and rangers Alexander Lorogoi, Isaac Ochieng, Michael Wabukala, Evans Kimaiyo, and Abdulrahaman Sudi.

Yesterday, Senior Principal Magistrate Kipkurui Kibelion put the six on their defences, ruling that they needed to defend themselves against the evidence and testimonies of 15 witnesses.

“Upon examining all evidence provided by the prosecution, the court is convinced that each of the six accused persons has a case to answer. I hereby put them on defence,” ruled Kibelion.

The court ruled that it was convinced that the six were linked to Odhiambo’s abduction at Manyani area in Nakuru, where they allegedly arrested him for illegal fishing and trespass into Lake Nakuru National Park.

Asked how they will defend themselves, the six, through their Lawyer Leon Kalisto, submitted that they will give a sworn testimony.

Kalisto submitted that they intended to call at least four witnesses to help the six rangers defend themselves.

“We will seek the court's leave to add more witnesses after consultation with our clients,” Kalisto informed the court.

Following the ruling, relatives and human rights activists celebrated with songs of freedom and justice inside and outside the court, concluding with the National Anthem.

The mother, Elizabeth Auma, through Lawyers Mogendi Abuya and Kipkoech Ngetich, welcomed the ruling, saying they were hopeful that the case would go their way.

Abuya said that the family will remain calm, hoping that justice will be served.

Activists Boniface Mwangi, Hussein Khalid, and Shikoh Kihika called for justice to be served and, at the same time, demanded that Odhiambo’s body be surrendered to the family by those who abducted them.

“The family wants to bury the missing fisherman; we want those responsible to release his body even as the court case continues,” said Mwangi.

Speaking to the Standard, defence lawyers led by Kalisto maintained that the six rangers were innocent and they would do anything to defend them to the end.

He said that they respected the court’s decision, clarifying that being put on defence did not mean that the six were guilty.

“We have lined up witnesses to help defend the suspects. The merits and demerits of the case will be revealed in court during the defence,” he said.

The ruling that caused anxiety and anticipation, with families, activists, and residents going to court in numbers seeking justice, also saw police officers geared with teargas, deployed in court to maintain peace.

The ruling concluded the first part of the case, where the prosecution presented 15 witnesses to prosecute the six.

The witnesses included Chief Inspector Julius Muhuri, who testified that investigations proved that the rangers abducted Odhiambo near the park, with the intent to confine him.

He testified that Wachira led the team of rangers to arrest Odhiambo, among other suspects of illegal fishing, and although they took the other to the police station, Odhiambo went missing in their custody.

Odhiambo’s brother, Carlos Otieno, his mother Auma, and a neighbour testified that they saw the rangers chase Odhiambo, arrest him, assault him, and drag him to their vehicle.

Two fishermen arrested on the same day testified that they saw Odhiambo unconscious in the KWS vehicle, before one of the rangers confirmed to his in charge that he had died, after which the vehicle meant to carry them sped off.

The defence hearing will begin on June 8.