Family looking for kin missing since December

Willis Ochieng has gone missing for five months. [File, Standard]

A 26-year-old man has gone missing for five months, sending his family and friends on a desperate search.

David Otieno’s father Willis Ochieng said he had not only searched for his last born in hospitals but police stations and mortuaries. “Otieno’s has not been among the tens of bodies found dumped in River Yala,” he said.

Speaking to The Standard from Siaya County, Mr Ochieng’, a former construction worker at Unilever tea estate in Kericho, said he last spoke to Otieno last December 28.

Before Otieno’s disappearance, he lived in Nyagacho estate on the outskirts of Kericho town. He eked a living as a casual labourer in the town. “On December 25, my son informed me that he was preparing and would be home on December 28 to join us in celebrating the New Year. To this date, we are still waiting for him,” said Mr Ochieng’.

He said the day Otieno had said he would travel from Kericho to Siaya, his phone went off. “His roommate Vincent David told me that my son had packed and picked up his bags and left for the village earlier in the day,” said Mr Ochieng’.

When The Standard called Mr David, he said: “I don’t know what happened to him or where he is. He just left the house on December 28 and has never come back.”

He denied having any difference with Otieno.

Mr Ochieng said he reported the disappearance of his son at Kericho police station on January 10. “The search for Otieno has also included checking his cellphone call logs. We noted that the last people he spoke to were immediate family members on the day he told us he was coming home,” he said.

Ochieng’s mother Eunice Adhiambo said she was devastated by her son’s disappearance. She lovingly referred to him as ‘Daddy’. “My appeal is to Daddy to come home. I miss him a lot,” she said.

Adhiambo said she last spoke to her son on December 26, and even sent him Sh300 to buy eggs to fry and enjoy on the boxing day. “He was cheerful that is why his disappearance is quite a puzzle,” she said. 

Kericho County Police Commander Mr Silas Gichunge said they investigation was ongoing.