Six KWS Officers Charged Over Fisherman’s Mysterious Nakuru Disappearance

Nakuru, May 6, 2025 — Six Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers were on Monday arraigned in a Nakuru court over the suspected abduction of Brian Odhiambo, a fisherman who disappeared in January near Lake Nakuru National Park.

The officers — Francis Gachoki, Alexander Lorogoi, Isaac Wabukala, Michael Kimaiyo, Evans Kipsang, and Abdulrahman Ali Sudi — appeared before Principal Magistrate Kipkurui Kibellion and were charged with abducting Odhiambo with the intent to confine him unlawfully. All six pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution alleges that the incident occurred on January 18 in Nakuru’s Bondeni area. The officers are accused of wrongfully detaining Odhiambo, whose whereabouts remain unknown nearly three months after his disappearance.

This court development comes two months after the Nakuru High Court dismissed a petition seeking to compel KWS to produce the missing man. Odhiambo’s family claims he was last seen inside Lake Nakuru National Park and has filed an affidavit alleging threats and pressure to withdraw the case.

The court ordered the six officers to be remanded at Nakuru GK Prison while awaiting a bail determination, expected within seven days.

The case has drawn widespread public attention, especially after KWS initially claimed to have arrested an unidentified man who allegedly escaped custody before his identity could be confirmed. That explanation has since fueled public skepticism and concern over the agency’s accountability practices.

Odhiambo’s disappearance and the unfolding legal proceedings have intensified scrutiny on KWS, raising serious questions about human rights and enforcement practices within Kenya’s protected areas.

The case continues to evolve as human rights groups and the public demand answers and justice for the missing fisherman.