The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has announced the arrest of Jackson Otieno Bambo, also known as James Babu Olang, in Tanzania over the murder of his wife, Sheila Odoyo, following a two-year manhunt.
In a statement, the DCI said the suspect was arrested in Kirongwe, Shirati District, Tanzania, after intelligence-led investigations and cooperation between Kenyan and Tanzanian law enforcement agencies.
Odoyo was found murdered inside her house in Athi River on the morning of May 9, 2024, triggering investigations that eventually led detectives across the border in pursuit of the suspect.
The DCI said the arrest followed sustained efforts to trace the suspect, who had remained at large since the killing.
βWith the suspect nowhere to be found, detectives followed leads, pieced together intelligence and pursued every available avenue to bring him to justice,β the agency said.
How the DCI tracked the suspect to Tanzania
According to investigators, the breakthrough came after intelligence placed Bambo in Kirongwe, Shirati District, where he was allegedly hiding while operating a club.
The location is approximately 70 kilometres from the Muhuru border point, according to the DCI statement.
Detectives from Athi River, working alongside officers from Nyatike and Tanzanian law enforcement agencies, subsequently mounted a joint operation to locate and arrest him.
The operation resulted in the arrest of Bambo, whom the DCI identified as Odoyoβs husband and the suspect in her murder.
The arrest highlights the role of intelligence-sharing and cross-border cooperation in tracking suspects accused of serious crimes who evade arrest by moving between jurisdictions.
Suspect found with Tanzanian identity card
The DCI said the suspect was found with a Tanzanian national identity card bearing the name James Babu Olang when he was arrested.
The identity document has been noted as part of the ongoing investigations, although the agency did not provide further details about how or when it was obtained.
Following his arrest, Bambo was booked at Nyatike Police Station before being escorted to Athi River Police Station, where he remains in custody.
The DCI said he was being held pending arraignment to face a murder charge.
The agency did not disclose a court appearance date or provide additional details about the circumstances surrounding Odoyoβs death.
What happens next in the Sheila Odoyo murder case?
The suspectβs transfer to Athi River Police Station marks a significant development in the investigation into Odoyoβs killing, more than two years after she was found dead in her home.
However, the arrest does not amount to a conviction. Bambo remains a suspect and will have the opportunity to answer the allegations through the criminal justice process.
Further details about the prosecution, the evidence gathered by detectives and the circumstances of the killing were not included in the DCI statement.
The case also underscores the importance of cooperation between investigative agencies in Kenya and neighbouring Tanzania when pursuing suspects believed to be outside the country.
In its statement, the DCI reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing suspects accused of serious crimes through cooperation with local and international law enforcement agencies.
The arrest brings investigators closer to the next stage of the case, with the suspect expected to face a murder charge in court.
The prosecution will ultimately be required to establish the allegations against him through the evidence presented in court.
