A two-year manhunt for a suspect in the murder of slain Ohangla dancer Sheila Odoyo alias Sheila Wegesha has ended with his arrest in Tanzania following 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, prompting investigations by detectives to establish the circumstances surrounding her death and trace the suspected perpetrator.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), detectives pursued leads and gathered intelligence for nearly two years before locating the suspect in Tanzania.
The breakthrough came after intelligence placed him in Kirongwe, Shirati District, where he was reportedly hiding while operating a club about 70 kilometres from the Muhuru border point.
Detectives from Athi River, working alongside their counterparts in Nyatike and Tanzanian law enforcement officers, launched a joint operation to track down and arrest the suspect.
At the time of his arrest, the suspect was reportedly in possession of a Tanzanian national identity card bearing another name. The identity document forms part of the ongoing investigations.
The suspect was initially booked at Nyatike Police Station before being escorted to Athi River Police Station, where he remains in custody pending arraignment in court to face a murder charge.
The arrest marks a significant development in the investigation into Odoyo's death, which had remained unresolved as detectives pursued leads across the border.
The DCI said the operation demonstrated the importance of intelligence-led investigations and cooperation between law enforcement agencies in different countries when pursuing suspects in serious criminal cases.
The agency reiterated its commitment to pursuing perpetrators of serious crimes and working with local and international law enforcement partners to ensure suspects are brought before the courts to answer to their charges.
The suspect is yet to face the murder charge in court and remains in custody as the case proceeds to the next stage of the legal process.
