The mysterious death of missing fisherman Brian Odhiambo has taken a chilling twist in court. A key witness has revealed that Odhiambo’s lifeless body was last seen inside a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Land Cruiser.
His testimony raises serious questions about the role of KWS officers in the fisherman’s disappearance. The gripping courtroom revelations contradict the official account of an alleged escape.
Families, human rights groups, and fellow fishermen are now demanding answers in a case that exposes deep cracks in law enforcement accountability.
Witness Details How Brian Odhiambo Was Found Dead in KWS Custody
The High Court in Nakuru heard on September 8 that the lifeless body of Brian Odhiambo was spotted inside a green Land Cruiser belonging to KWS.
A prosecution witness, serving a four-year jail term for illegal fishing, recounted that on January 19 he and five others were arrested by KWS rangers. They were ordered to lie on their stomachs at Summit, Nakuru, before a vehicle arrived to ferry them.
“I heard them saying that our vehicle had arrived. At first, we could not see clearly, but when it came closer, I noticed a motionless man in the vehicle,” the witness testified.
The man inside was Odhiambo. According to the witness, he was dressed in black shorts with white stripes, shirtless, and barefoot. A ranger checked for his pulse but declared that he had died. “He tried waking him up, but still, there was no movement. I just heard him say he has died,” the witness added.
The testimony shook the courtroom, with the witness further claiming that KWS officers threatened to beat him if he attempted to intervene.
Contradictions in the KWS Account
The evidence directly challenges a narrative given by KWS. On January 29, a ranger told the court that Odhiambo had escaped from custody. He claimed Odhiambo jumped out of the vehicle after asking to relieve himself.
The ranger insisted he tried to recapture the fisherman but failed, denying that Odhiambo was ever harmed while in custody.
This account now appears inconsistent with the testimonies of two prosecution witnesses. Both positively identified Odhiambo from photographs and confirmed that they saw him unresponsive inside the Land Cruiser.
One of the witnesses, detained in Nyandarua, corroborated the story, pointing to the same six rangers accused of abducting Odhiambo. The conflicting narratives raise doubts about whether KWS concealed the truth about Odhiambo’s death.
What Comes Next in the Case of Brian Odhiambo
The case is moving toward a critical phase. The final prosecution witness is set to testify on November 10 at the exact scene where Odhiambo was allegedly abducted.
For the fisherman’s family, the wait for justice has been long and painful. They have accused authorities of dragging the investigation while shielding officers from accountability.
Human rights groups argue that the case exposes a dangerous culture of impunity within state security agencies. They want an independent probe into how Odhiambo died in custody.
The courtroom drama continues to unfold, with every new testimony painting a darker picture of what really happened to Brian Odhiambo. If the allegations are proven, it could force KWS and other agencies to answer for abuse of power and cover-ups.
For now, one fact remains: the story of a fisherman who went missing has turned into a case of death in custody, with the truth yet to be fully unearthed.
