A Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) expert investigator, Edwin Mwasi, was questioned in court over the events surrounding the disappearance of fisherman Brian Odhiambo on January 18, 2025. Odhiambo allegedly went missing after being arrested by KWS rangers for trespassing into Lake Nakuru National Park and engaging in illegal fishing. Mwasi defended six KWS rangers charged with abducting Odhiambo, but his claims were met with skepticism by Senior Principal Magistrate Kipkurui Kibelion.
The six KWS rangers, including Senior Sergeant Francis Wachira and rangers Michael Wabukhala, Alexander Lorogoi, Isaac Ochieng, Evans Kimaiyo, and Abdulrahaman Sudi, are accused of abducting Odhiambo. Mwasi, who testified as an expert investigator, struggled to justify the actions of the rangers, admitting that the incident was not properly recorded in the Occurrence Book (OB). He confirmed that there was no specific OB number for the alleged escape of Odhiambo.
Kibelion questioned Mwasi's expertise, asking what qualifications he brought to the court. Mwasi cited his sworn testimony on procedures for handling arrested trespassers and illegal fishermen within the park as evidence of his expertise. However, he admitted that he had not produced the manual detailing the standard procedures or the relevant Wildlife Conservation and Management Act.
Mwasi acknowledged that the entry concerning Odhiambo's alleged escape was recorded in the remarks column instead of the Nature of Occurrence column. He also admitted that remarks are usually follow-ups to occurrences, but the entry was not a follow-up to any incident report. Kibelion pressed Mwasi on why Sudi's injuries, allegedly sustained during the escape, were not recorded in the OB.
Mwasi admitted that Sudi's injuries were not recorded, citing that they usually report injuries to the police based on the degree. Kibelion questioned whether Sudi's injuries met the threshold for reporting, and Mwasi replied that he believed they did not. Mwasi also acknowledged that Sudi, who was driving the vehicle transporting Odhiambo, should have been accompanied by two other rangers to guard him.
During cross-examination, Mwasi admitted that he could not confirm whether the rangers abducted and confined Odhiambo. He also stated that he did not conduct independent investigations to establish why Sudi remained alone with Odhiambo for hours, contrary to standard procedure. Mwasi's testimony marked the close of the defence case.
The case will be mentioned on October 26, when the court is expected to give a date for judgment. The defence team's arguments and the prosecution's evidence will be considered by the court in determining the fate of the six KWS rangers charged with abducting Brian Odhiambo.
Key points
- The KWS investigator's testimony raised concerns about the handling of Odhiambo's case and the actions of the accused rangers.
- The court questioned the expertise and procedures followed by the KWS rangers and the investigator.
- The case will proceed with a judgment date to be set on October 26.
