In Summary
- The body of the judge was found on Monday morning following an alarm after he failed to show up at the Kisumu Law Courts for his normal duties.
- Prof Odek’s driver who had tried to reach him in vain alerted the Kisumu Law Courts staff, who headed to the apartments in the company of the Kisumu Central Police Station OCS.
- They accessed his house with the help of the caretaker by breaking into the house.
- The judge’s naked body was on his bed and his bed sheets blood stained.
Detectives investigating the death of Court of Appeal Judge James Otieno Aggrey Odek were Tuesday tracing his last movements amid revelations that the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras at his residential apartment were dysfunctional for the past one week.
There was, however, a clash between the care-taker of Groove Hut apartments where the judge resided and criminal investigations officers on the state of the CCTV cameras at the time the judge’s body was discovered in his house.
While the caretaker- Mr William Nyandara told Nation that he had established that the cameras were not working when investigators had asked to review them on Monday, investigators who spoke to Nation on the other hand claimed they had reviewed the CCTV footage “and there was nothing strange.”
According to Mr Nyandara, the CCTV cameras had developed problems a while back, but he had ordered the manager to have electricians from Nairobi to repairs, only to learn later that this was not done.
“I knew that the cameras had been repaired only to realise on Monday morning when asked by the detectives to produce footage that the cameras had not been repaired. I will have to take the matter up with the manager of the apartments,” said Mr Nyandara.
He spoke to the Nation outside the gates of the apartments a day after the body of Justice Odek was found in his house on the second floor of the four-storey building.
The judge’s wife, Ms Anne Odek, and his brother were present at the apartments and could be seen talking to the care-taker for a moment before they proceeded to Aga Khan Hospital Mortuary the judge’s body is being preserved.
The body of the judge was found on Monday morning following an alarm after he failed to show up at the Kisumu Law Courts for his normal duties.
Prof Odek’s driver who had tried to reach him in vain alerted the Kisumu Law Courts staff, who headed to the apartments in the company of the Kisumu Central Police Station OCS.
They accessed his house with the help of the caretaker by breaking into the house. The judge’s naked body was on his bed and his bed sheets blood stained.
According to Nyanza Regional Criminal Investigations Officer James Kipsoi, they had reviewed the CCTV footage and there wasn’t much.
He said they were depending on the outcome of the postmortem which he said, will give further direction to the investigations.
“It is too early to allege any foul play in the death of the judge. What we know for now is there were no break ins and no signs of a struggle in the house. So we have to wait for postmortem to guide any further investigations,” said Mr Kipsoi.
Dr Vincent Makokha, the Nyanza Regional Police Commander, confirmed that they had recorded statements from both the night and day security guards, on the judge’s last movements. He, however, did not disclose details of their findings.
Dr Makokha said the autopsy would shed light on the judge’s death.
“We are waiting for the postmortem where one of our officers will also be present. So far the house has been secured as it is still a crime scene,” said Dr Makokha.
Investigators also collected all the judge’s phones which are still being analysed “for any suspicious calls or messages that might have been uncomfortable,” according to Dr Makokha.
Two parallel meetings are being held by the families in Nairobi and in Kisumu on when the postmortem will be done and the burial date.
Meanwhile, the Law Society of Kenya expressed shock at the judge’s death whom it described as a perceptive Judge and a scholar of unparalleled legal familiarity.
“He was always kind, gentle, respectful and admired by his colleagues for his enlightening views and strong belief in the cause of justice. His contribution to the legal profession remains invaluable and his presence will be sorely missed,” Mr Allen Waiyaki Gichuhi, the LSK President said in a statement
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