The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has arrested six Kenya Wildlife Service officers in connection with the disappearance of Brian Odhiambo at Lake Nakuru National Park on Saturday last week.
The arrests were confirmed by Samwel Ngeiywo, the Divisional Criminal Investigations Officer (DCIO), Nakuru East.
KWS has remained silent on the matter that has continued to stir controversy.
Brian Odhiambo has been missing since Saturday, January 18, 2025, when he is said to have made his way into the protected area of the Lake Nakuru National Park. His goal was fishing, which is illegal.
While he was making his way past the fence of the park and towards the lake, he was met by KWS officers. He took off and ran out of the park.
The officers followed him into the Flamingo Estate and are said to have started to rough him up. They forced him back into the park and onto a waiting car according to witnesses.
His disappearance has sparked protests among local residents, who demand his release and accountability from the authorities.
In response to the incident, residents of the Manyani estate in Nakuru East Sub-County held demonstrations, alleging that Odhiambo was last seen with KWS officers.
The protests disrupted business activities across three estates in Nakuru, with residents lighting bonfires and demanding answers regarding his whereabouts.
The situation has intensified due to ongoing conflicts over fishing rights at Lake Nakuru, leading to a series of deaths and disappearances.
On Wednesday, Moses Olweny, who alleges to have been beaten and injured by rangers, revealed that KWS officers collude with residents to permit them to fish in the lake.
“We have an understanding with the officers. When I fish and the load is good, I send them Ksh10,000. When the load is bad, I send them Ksh5,000,” Moses revealed.
The fish in Lake Nakuru are unsuitable for human consumption because of high levels of toxic arsenic, but that has not stopped people from fishing.
KWS has yet to issue any statement on the matter. Our efforts to reach the service for comment also failed.
