Questions as man abducted from his home found dead

Homa Bay Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary where the victim's body was moved to.  [James Omoro, Standard]

A 52-year-old man who was abducted from his home in Homa Bay County has been found dead.

Paul Otieno Odongo was abducted from his home at Kokech Village, Kanyango Sub-location in Rachuonyo West Sub-county on Sunday night.

Odongo was abducted by two men who masqueraded as police officers.

According to the Assistant Chief of Kanyango Sub-location, Lawrence Ochoo, the two men who masqueraded as police initially wanted to abduct Odongo’s son.

However, when they realised that the son was not Odongo, they abandoned their intention.

“The two men arrived in Odongo’s home on a motorbike at night and found Odongo’s son in the compound. They enquired if he was Odongo but they established he was his son before they told him to call Odongo,” Ochoo said.

However, when they established that they had met Odongo, they told him that he was under arrest.

The abductors told Odongo’s family that he was under arrest and they were taking him to Nyagwete police station.

However, when the family went to the police station the following morning, they found Odongo was missing. Police said they had not arrested Odongo and lacked his whereabouts.

“The family became worried after failing to find Odongo at Nyangwete. They decided that their son had gone missing after being abducted,” Ochoo said.

The family reported the matter at Kendu Bay Police Station.

However, Odongo’s decomposing body was found in a thicket on Friday. The body portrayed signs that it had been burnt with acid.

The body was discovered by a man who was herding cattle.

Odongo’s death is suspected to have resulted from a land dispute.

Ochoo said Odongo had recently reported in his office that there was someone who was grabbing his land. He slated July 13 for a meeting to discuss the land dispute.

“Odongo and the accused person were to appear in my office on Monday, but he failed to come.  We later realised that he had been abducted,” Ochoo said.

The administrator said police had taken the matter for investigations.

The body was moved to Homa Bay County Referral Hospital for postmortem examination.