NAKURU, Kenya — A Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officer charged in connection with the disappearance of fisherman Brian Odhiambo gave contradictory testimony on Monday as the defence hearing resumed before a Nakuru court.
The fifth accused, Abdulrahman Sudi, appeared before Nakuru Senior Principal Magistrate Kipkurui Kibelion, where he attempted to explain his role in the operation that preceded Odhiambo’s disappearance near the shores of Lake Nakuru on January 25, 2025.
Sudi, whose vehicle is alleged to have been used during the operation, told the court he had been left guarding a young man for nearly two hours. Although the man’s description closely matched that previously given in court by Odhiambo’s mother, brother and wife, Sudi maintained that the individual was not Brian Odhiambo.
During his testimony, however, Sudi appeared to contradict an earlier account regarding how the suspect had been restrained.
He told the court that the man’s hands had been tied using a rope, despite having previously stated that the suspect had been handcuffed.
“Niliachwa kulinda mshukiwa na aliniambia anaskia kuenda haja ndogo, niliweka gari kando nikamfungulia mlango na nikamfungua kamba na nikamescort kuenda haja,” Sudi testified.
According to Sudi, after escorting the suspect to relieve himself, the man suddenly pushed him before fleeing into a nearby forest.
“Wakati alirejea alinigonga kumbo nikaanguka, elbow, kisha akatoka kuingia msituni,” he said.
Under cross-examination, prosecutors questioned how the suspect—whom Sudi had earlier described as weak and exhausted—managed to overpower an armed officer and escape into the forest. Sudi was unable to provide a clear explanation.
The court also heard Sudi testify that his superior, Francis Wachira, was in charge of issuing operational instructions during the mission conducted in the Vietnam and Sewage areas near Lake Nakuru.
The six accused KWS officers—Francis Wachira, Abdulrahman Sudi, Evans Kimaiyo, Michael Wabukhala, Alexander Lorogoi and Isaac Ochieng—are facing charges linked to the disappearance of Brian Odhiambo, who allegedly went missing while in KWS custody.
The prosecution alleges the officers played various roles in the events surrounding Odhiambo’s disappearance, while all the accused have denied wrongdoing.
The matter was adjourned and is scheduled to resume on August 24, when the defence hearing will continue.
Background
Brian Odhiambo disappeared on January 25, 2025, after he was allegedly arrested by Kenya Wildlife Service officers near Lake Nakuru. His disappearance sparked public concern and sustained calls for accountability, with his family maintaining that he vanished while under the custody of law enforcement officers.
The case remains one of Kenya’s closely watched alleged enforced disappearance trials, with the court expected to determine the criminal responsibility of the six accused officers based on the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defence.
