Five suspects have been arrested over the murder of Molo-based activist Richard Haga Otieno.
Otieno was murdered near the gate of his residential apartment in Elburgon Town on January 18, 2025, just 200 meters from Elburgon police station.
This forced police to move his body to Kericho Town where an autopsy was conducted amid rising tension.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation’s Homicide and those from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) joined those on the ground in the probe into the murder.
The team announced five suspects had been arrested and were expected in Nakuru Court on Monday, February 3 for miscellaneous applications to enable them to detain them for further probe.
The five include two bodaboda riders who carried the alleged killers to and from the murder scene.
One of the suspects is believed to be among three who participated in the murder, police said.
The police said the three suspects had been placed at the scene forensically.
The other two are suspects who had earlier assaulted the deceased on November 8, 2024, and were convicted to serve one-year probation.
Police said they were too placed at the scene on January 18.
Director of DCI Mohamed Amin said they believe they have prime suspects in the murder of Otieno.
“We have key suspects in this murder and if there are more we are pursuing the matter,” he said.
Otieno, popularly known as the 'Molo President,' died from severe head injuries caused by a sharp object, likely a panga or axe, an autopsy done on the body revealed.
Government pathologist Johansen Oduor conducted the autopsy at Kericho Hospital mortuary.
Another pathologist, Dr Titus Ngulugu, who represented the family and the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) during the procedure, confirmed the findings, describing them as accurate and thorough.
The autopsy revealed multiple slash wounds to the back and frontal areas of the skull, causing a fractured skull, extensive brain bleeding, and facial bruising.
"There were multiple slash wounds at the back of the head, which led to a fracture of the skull and excessive bleeding of the brain. There was also slashing of the frontal area, though this one didn't fracture the skull,” said Dr Oduor.
“There were also bruises on the face. What we found also were more bruises on the arms, which looked like someone was trying to defend themselves.”
His wife revealed he had been receiving threats and was being trailed by unknown individuals, attributing the threats to his activism and conflicts with local politicians.
His murder sparked public outrage, with residents staging protests, blocking roads and parading his body through the streets.
The killing prompted protests with the protesters stealing his body and marching with it on the streets.
The police were forced to take the body to Kericho for preservation.
