LSK Accuses KWS Boss of Shielding Rangers in Abduction Case

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has accused the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) of shielding six of its rangers implicated in the disappearance of Nakuru fisherman Brian Odhiambo, who has been missing since January 18.

The rangers, who were charged in March with conspiracy to abduct Odhiambo, remain on active duty, a revelation that has sparked public outrage and deepened the family’s anguish.

In a tense court session on Monday, lawyers representing Odhiambo’s family confronted Emmanuel Koech, the head of Lake Nakuru National Park, demanding to know why the rangers despite taking plea more than three months ago have not been interdicted.

Mr. Koech, who also serves as an assistant director at KWS, struggled to defend the agency’s decision, citing an incomplete internal disciplinary process as the reason for their continued service.

“When KWS officers take plea in court, they go through an orderly room process,” he said. “However, the six have not completed the process.”

But LSK lawyer Kipkoech Ngetich challenged Koech’s explanation, accusing him of actively protecting the accused.

“You are confirming that the officers are still discharging their duties and are fully represented by KWS lawyers. Doesn’t this clearly show that you are protecting them?” he asked pointedly in court.

The six officers—Senior Sergeant Francis Wachira, Alexander Lorogoi, Isaac Ochieng, Michael Wabukala, Evans Kimaiyo, and Abdulrahaman Suli were arraigned on March 6 over the alleged abduction, which reportedly took place in Nakuru’s Kivumbini estate. Odhiambo was last seen being arrested during a KWS operation against illegal fishing, but has not been seen since.

Inconsistencies in official accounts are compounding the mystery.

Koech admitted that KWS had no records of arrests made on the day Odhiambo vanished, contradicting earlier testimony from the Bondeni Police Station commander, who confirmed nine arrests on that date.

“There are records at Bondeni police station, but no records at KWS. Is that what you are saying?” Ngetich pressed.

Another lawyer, Abuya Mogendi, argued that KWS was possibly operating outside the oversight of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), and accused Koech of indifference toward uncovering the truth.

Koech’s vague explanations only deepened suspicion.

He claimed that KWS rangers sometimes pursue suspects who escape custody, and such incidents may go unrecorded.

But the claim offered little solace to Odhiambo’s grieving family, who sat in court clutching his photo—still searching for answers, six months after his disappearance.

As the case unfolds, the spotlight remains firmly on KWS leadership and its opaque disciplinary processes. For now, Odhiambo’s fate remains unknown, and the institution tasked with protecting wildlife is facing growing scrutiny over how it treats human life.