Richard Otieno Murder: DCI Reveal Intrigue In Arrest Of 5 Suspects

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Monday, February 3 made a breakthrough in the murder case of activist Richard Otieno, alias the 'Molo President' through the arrest of five suspects.

However, DCI in their statement revealed intrigues surrounding their arrest. Three of them were believed to have been directly involved in the brutal killing while two were found to be bodaboda riders identified as the persons who ferried the hitmen to and from the scene of the crime.

It is also worth noting that two of the three prime suspects were on November 8, 2024, arrested and charged for assaulting the deceased, and were sentenced to a one-year probation. 

"In the course of the homicide probe, the two were forensically placed at the scene of the crime, and crucial evidence has been collected to aid their prosecution," the DCI stated in part.

All the suspects have been taken into custody and are being processed for arraignment. Meanwhile, investigators from the Homicide Directorate, Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau, and Operations are interrogating the case further to bring any more suspects to justice.

Otieno was hacked to death by unknown assailants on Saturday, January 19. According to his wife, Margaret Mwihaki, Otieno fearfully revealed that he was followed by three individuals last Thursday and recalled an attack in November 2024 by people he believed were linked to a local politician. 

"He had called to tell me that he wanted to come so that I open the gate for him. Immediately I went to open the gate, but when I got there, I found it open, so I just went back to the house.

"On reaching the bedroom, I heard somebody screaming, we found out it was Richard. He was lying on the floor with deep cuts on the head," she recounted the tragic events of Saturday night in her first media interview while grieving the loss of her husband. 

Unfortunately, Otieno succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. Mwihaki disclosed that her husband’s troubles began in June last year during anti-government protests. He was arrested for allegedly being part of a group that attacked the home of Molo Member of Parliament (MP) Kuria Kimani but was later released. 

An autopsy revealed that Otieno died from severe head injuries inflicted by a sharp object. According to Government pathologist Johansen Oduor, either a panga or an axe could have been used in the attack, indicating that the assailants had a clear mission to eliminate him.

In a dramatic turn of events following Otieno's death, residents forcibly transferred his body from Elburgon Nyayo Hospital to Kericho Level 5 Hospital mortuary, where it remained as investigations continued. Richard Otieno’s murder sent shockwaves through his community and raised questions about the safety of activists in the country, with many looking to the DCI to deliver justice.

The murder drew the attention of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who on Monday, January 20, called for investigations to be hastened to ensure the perpetrators behind the heinous attacks are arrested and convicted.

The former deputy president faulted the government over its silence on the matter urging swift action. "The Government of Kenya cannot afford to sit on the fence on this matter," he warned.