Police hunt for man who killed Ida’s guard in ‘love triangle’ saga
Mr Barack Onyango Oduor (centre), bodyguard of Mama Ida Odinga (right).
A bodyguard attached to the wife of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga, who was gunned down yesterday morning, is suspected to have been caught up in a love triangle.
The manager of Signature Level 4, a popular entertainment spot in Kisumu, is suspected to have fatally shot Mrs Ida Odinga’s bodyguard, who was attempting to resolve a confrontation between his friend and the suspect at the upscale Victoria Gardens estate located off the Kisumu-Kakamega highway.
Mr Collins Okundi, who is still on the run, is alleged to have shot dead corporal Barrack Oduor Onyango at the residence of Marilyn Marion Ouma before making a daring escape from the gated estate.
The incident happened shortly after Mr Onyango, a friend identified as Mr Donar Kajwang and Ms Ouma, retreated to her house near Uzima University at 3.30am.
“Upon reaching the estate, Mr Okundi suddenly appeared and a scuffle ensued between Marylyn, Kajwang and Mr Onyango,” said part of the statement recorded by the woman at the centre of the saga.
In the process, Mr Okundi reportedly pounced on Mrs Odinga’s bodyguard and disarmed him. He then shot the policeman twice in the head and leg, killing him on the spot.
In the ensuing confrontation, Mr Kajwang was also shot in the leg and was rushed to Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu where he is reported to be in a stable condition. The suspect is then said to have made away with the firearm and was yet to be arrested by last night.
Despite the sound of gunfire in the wee hours of the morning, witnesses said the neighbours kept off the scene.
It took more than an hour before the police arrived at the scene and took the body to Star Hospital Mortuary awaiting postmortem.
Ms Ouma later rushed to Obunga Police Station where she reported the incident.
“The suspect immediately left with the firearm of the officer,” said the incident report, in part.
Kisumu County commander Alphonse Kimathi called on anybody who knew the whereabouts of Mr Okundi to report to the nearest police station.
“The accused is armed and dangerous and has a potential of continuing with the crime,” Mr Kimathi told the Saturday Nation.
He further stated that the police had started investigations to establish what could have happened before the brutal killing of the officer, with initial reports pointing to a love triangle.
He noted that the police have recovered a spent cartridge and a bullet head of 9mm at the scene.
The murdered policeman is said to have been an ardent supporter of Mr Odinga’s presidential bid and social media posts on his Facebook account had pictures he took with the opposition leader and Ms Ida Odinga.
The Odingas are, however, yet to issue a statement on the Friday event that has shocked the nation. The family had not responded to our enquiry by the time of filing this report.
One of the security guards operating at the quiet neighbourhood told the Saturday Nation that Mr Okundi had occasionally visited Ms Ouma at her house.
He noted that they were jovial and always exchanged pleasantries whenever they got in or out of the estate. “The news caught me by surprise and I am yet to come to terms with what has happened,” he told the Saturday Nation.
We could, however, not establish more details about Mr Kajwang.
At the same time, the management of Signature Level 4, Kisumu, where Mr Okundi worked, termed the incident unfortunate and said they were cooperating with police in the investigations.
This happened as the board of management of Signature Club and Restaurant Limited — which initially operated a club with a similar name in Kisumu before closing it down — said they are not associated in any way with either the premises or the parties involved.
“We have been made aware of a report circulating in the public relating to a shooting incident in Kisumu. The board and management wishes to clarify that the business currently being run as Signature Level 4 is neither owned nor managed by the company,” said their statement from the company that also runs clubs in other cities.
