Where is he? KWS now say Brian escaped custody

Mystery surrounding the disappearance of Brian Odhiambo deepened yesterday when Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers told the court that Brian had escaped custody.

In a sworn affidavit, Samuel Ngeiywa, the investigating officer, says that on 22 January, six KWS officers from Lake Nakuru National Park who interacted with the missing person recorded statements.

“The six KWS officers confirmed in their statements that they had indeed arrested a person who they had not taken his name before he escaped. They were not aware that the person who escaped while he was under the custody of No. 9659 Ranger, Abdulrahman Ali Sudi was Brian Odhiambo Makori” read part of the affidavit.

On his part, Abdulrahman Ali Sudi, who works with KWS as a Ranger Driver at the Lake Nakuru National Park says that they arrested a suspect conducting illegal fishing at Sewage area at 11 am.

 “The suspect who had been arrested requested to relieve himself as he was pressed. I acceded to his request only for him to escape. I made an attempt to apprehend him but he flew. That the allegation that the suspect was assaulted or injured in any way is unfounded and unsubstantiated” reads part of the affidavit.

The driver says, “The suspect escaped before we could process him and therefore his particulars were unknown to me”.

Last week, the court had ordered the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Nakuru East Sub county and Officer in charge, Lake Nakuru National Park to produce Brian Odhiambo in court dead or alive.

Following the affidavits filed by the respondents, the petitioners in the matter being Elizabeth Auma (Mother to Brian) and Independent Medico Legal Unit (IMLU) through their lead council Abuya Mogende sought more time to go through the affidavits filed.

The presiding Judge, Julius Nangea granted them one day to go through the respondents’ affidavits and file the same from their end.

Further directions from the court will be given on January 30.

Throughout the court session, it was a tense affair, with the courtroom filled with family, friends and even elected leaders.

Brian went missing on January 18 after he went fishing in Lake Nakuru National Park.

According to witnesses, Brian, who was in the company of KWS officers, was taken to an undisclosed destination.

His mother, Elizabeth Auma, told of seeing her son being forced into a KWS vehicle.

The disappearance of Brian, triggered protests in areas of Kivumbini. The protests took place for six consecutive days.

The residents only had one plea. Free Brian!!!