A two-year manhunt for a murder suspect accused of killing Ohangla dancer Sheila Odoyo has ended in Tanzania, where detectives arrested her husband after tracing him to a remote area near the Kenya-Tanzania border.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Jackson Otieno Bambo, also known as James Babu Olang, was arrested in Kirongwe, Shirati District, following intelligence-led investigations and cooperation between Kenyan and Tanzanian security agencies.
Odoyo was found murdered inside her house in Athi River on the morning of May 9, 2024, triggering an investigation that would eventually lead detectives across the border in pursuit of the man suspected of killing her.
According to the DCI, investigators followed multiple leads during the search for the suspect, who had remained at large for nearly two years.
The breakthrough came after intelligence placed him in Kirongwe, where he was allegedly living while operating a club approximately 70 kilometres from the Muhuru border point.
Detectives from Athi River, working alongside officers from Nyatike and their Tanzanian counterparts, mounted a coordinated operation that led to his arrest.
Suspect allegedly used a different identity
The circumstances surrounding the suspect’s life in Tanzania have added another dimension to the investigation.
The DCI said Bambo was found in possession of a Tanzanian national identity card bearing the name James Babu Olang at the time of his arrest.
Investigators are expected to establish the circumstances under which he obtained and used the document as they pursue the murder case.
His arrest marks a significant development in the investigation into Odoyo’s death, which had remained unresolved while the suspect was being sought.
Transferred to Athi River
Following his arrest, Bambo was initially booked at Nyatike Police Station before being escorted to Athi River Police Station, where he remains in custody.
The DCI said he is awaiting arraignment to face a murder charge.
The arrest underscores the role of cross-border intelligence sharing in tracking suspects who flee Kenya to evade law enforcement.
However, the allegations against Bambo remain to be tested in court, where the prosecution will be required to present evidence linking him to Odoyo’s death.
For Odoyo’s family and those seeking answers over her killing, the arrest represents a major step towards having the case brought before a court.
The DCI said it remains committed to pursuing suspects accused of serious crimes, including those who cross international borders in an attempt to evade arrest.
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