Five suspects appeared before the Nakuru High Court on Thursday, March 13, facing murder charges related to the killing of Nakuru activist Richard Otieno, also known as Molo President.
In a statement released on Friday, March 14, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) confirmed that the suspects were accused of the brutal murder of Otieno, a blogger and political activist, at his residence in Elburgon.
“Five men were yesterday charged with murder at the Nakuru High Court. The charge relates to the brutal killing of Richard Otieno, alias Molo President, a blogger and political activist, at his residence in Elburgon,” the ODPP stated.
The ODPP further noted that the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before Lady Justice Patricia Gichohi.
Following their plea, the court scheduled the case for mention on Thursday, March 27, 2025, to determine bond terms.
The victim was attacked on January 18 while returning home from Toshapool Table, an entertainment venue where he had been socialising with friends.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Otieno's body was found on Sunday, January 19, after he was reportedly hacked to death with an axe the night before, a scene that prompted protests from enraged Molo residents.
On Monday, February 24, the DCI apprehended three additional suspects linked to the murder, with assistance from Tanzanian authorities in capturing two of the individuals.
The DCI stated that three of the five accused were directly responsible for the crime, while the other two, both boda boda riders, facilitated their transportation to and from the crime scene.
The report also revealed that two of the suspects had physically assaulted Otieno on November 18, 2024. They were arrested and subsequently sentenced to one year of probation.
Government pathologist Johansen Oduor on Friday, January 24, confirmed Otieno died from severe head injuries inflicted by a sharp object.
“The late Richard had several severe injuries. There were multiple slash wounds on the back of the head, which led to the fracture of the skull and extensive bleeding of the brain. There were also some slash wounds on the frontal area of the skull as well as bruising on the face,” Odour stated after an autopsy.
