Brian Odhiambo's family hopeful, month after Murkomen's vow

On March 20, Brian Odhiambo’s mother, Elizabeth Auma interrupted a speech by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, in an attempt to get him to intervene in the case of her missing son.

According to Auma, Brian was last seen being taken into custody by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers at Lake Nakuru National Park.

The Cabinet Secretary promised to follow up on the matter and assured Auma that he would get back to her with progress after two weeks.

Now a month later, Mtaa Wangu reached out to Elizabeth Auma to find out whether there have been any developments in her son's case.

“I reached out to the Cabinet Secretary on April 17, and he assured me that he has not forgotten the issue. He said he is still following up on the matter and will keep me updated on any new developments,” she says.

She also claimed that the officers who arrested her son have since been transferred to other stations and can no longer be traced.

“The CS assured me that the arm of the law is long and that all the officers involved will be held accountable, so I shouldn't worry,” she adds.

During our interview, Auma expressed that she is still holding on, clinging to the hope that she will eventually get justice for her son. 

We were unable to reach the Cabinet Secretary for a comment. 

It has now been three months since Elizabeth Auma last saw her son, Brian Odhiambo, who she says was taken by KWS officers on January 18.

Following Brian's disappearance, protests erupted in Kivumbini and lasted for nearly six days. According to local residents, his case was one of many incidents involving KWS officers, whom they accused of persistent harassment. They said they had had enough.

Soon after, the matter landed in court. The Nakuru East Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Officer in Charge of Lake Nakuru National Park were ordered to produce Brian Odhiambo in court.

The matter was heard, and the presiding judge, Julius Nangea, ruled that Elizabeth Auma and the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) had failed to demonstrate that Brian was in the custody of the respondents (the DCI and the Park Officer). As a result, the court could not invoke its legal authority to compel his production.

The family then pushed for a public inquest into Brian Odhiambo’s disappearance. Principal Magistrate Vincent Adit directed the DCI and the police, under the supervision of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), to conduct comprehensive investigations and present their findings within 30 days.

Additionally, the police and DCI were ordered to forward the investigation files to the ODPP. The ODPP was instructed to review and evaluate the findings and formulate recommendations within 21 days. Alvy Aoko, Brian's wife, was also to be kept informed about the progress of the case.

The ODPP, police, and DCI are required to comply with the court’s orders within 60 days. If they fail to do so, Alvy Aoko and Vocal Africa have the right to return to court to seek a public inquest.