Family of Mrs Odiga want police to expedite investigations

The family of an election officer found killed in unclear circumstances has asked police to speed up investigations and arrest those behind her murder.

The body of Caroline Odiga, a teacher at Ugenya High School, in Siaya County, was discovered by passers-by at around 11am on August 19, according to the family.

Mrs Odiga was a Deputy Presiding Officer with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) at the Miyare Primary School polling centre in the August 8 General Election.

HUMBLE AND JOVIAL

Her brother-in-law, Mr Joseph Sewe, on Sunday asked the police to expedite investigations and inform the family what happened to their kin.

Mr Sewe described Mrs Odiga as a humble and jovial woman whose untimely death shocked the family and wondered why the ambitious high school teacher was murdered in such a horrific manner.

“We call on the police to investigate the circumstances behind the killing of Mrs Odiga,” Mr Sewe told the Nation at their home in Sega, Ugenya Sub-County.

He said a group of women found Mrs Odiga’s body dumped about 50 metres from the home.

LEFT

Mr Sewe recalled that the deceased left for Ugenya High School to pick some books for her son on Friday evening, never to return.

Their attempts to reach her on her mobile phone were futile as it was switched off.

“We had been looking for her from August 18 evening but she was nowhere to be found,” said Mr Sewe.

He said the deceased had not shared with them any threats on her life and denied claims that she was killed after receiving payments from IEBC.

INVESTIGATIONS

“We are not aware of her going to look for her payment,” said Mr Sewe. “We want the government to investigate and tell us who killed my sister-in-law.”

Mrs Odiga is survived by her husband Mathius Otieno and four children.

Siaya County Police Commander Sarah Duncan said preliminary investigations showed Mrs Odiga was gang-raped as her genitals and left ear were badly mutilated.

She added that the body had been moved to Siaya County Referral Hospital Mortuary.

SENSATIONAL

“We urge residents to stop sensationalising this matter and let the police do their work,” said Ms Duncan.

Mrs Odiga’s death spread quickly on social media with some mistaking her for the county’s returning officer, Mrs Ruth Kulundu.

Mrs Kulundu has since come out to assure her family and friends that she was alive and well.

“I want to tell Kenyans that I am alright and I am attending Msando's funeral,” said Mrs Kulundu, who led a team of county IEBC officers at the burial of the commission’s slain ICT manager Chris Msando in the county on Saturday. “Those spreading rumours that I am dead should stop doing that.”