• A pistol was also recovered during the arrest that took police four days of hot pursuit.
• He is believed to be the man behind the fatal shooting of Barack Onyango Oduor who was mama Ida's official on Thursday at dawn.
Image: COURTESY
Collins Oulo Okundi, the suspect in the murder of Ida Odinga's bodyguard has been arrested.
He was arrested in Eldoret on Sunday and a pistol believed to be that of the slain officer recovered during the arrest that took police four days of hot pursuit.
"Yes, he has been arrested but he is still in Eldoret," Nyanza regional police boss Karanja Muiruri said.
Okundi, a manager at Signature club in Kisumu, is in the hands of DCI detectives based in Eldoret West.
He is believed to be the man behind Thursday's fatal shooting of Barack Onyango Oduor who was Mama Ida's official bodyguard.
The Star has established that there are plans to ferry the suspect to Kisumu where the crime was committed. The case is being investigated by the DCI, Kisumu Central.
Kisumu county police commander Alphonse Kimanthi told the Star that the suspect is likely to be arraigned on Monday but he didn't provide details about the plans.
Okundi is alleged to have confronted the slain officer who was in the company of a lady and another male friend.
The suspect is alleged to have shot Oduor twice on the head, killing him on the spot during the 3.30 am incident that happened at Victoria estate in Kisumu’s Uzima area.
He also reportedly shot Oduor's friend identified as Donar Kajwang on the leg.
Kajwang is recuperating at the Agha Khan hospital in Kisumu where he was admitted following the shooting.
A lady identified as Marilyn Marion Ouma who was with the duo reported the matter to the police at Obunga police station.
She told the police that they left Dondez Bar and restaurant along Kisumu-Kakamega road at around 3am as they retired for the night after partying.
The suspect appeared at her home and a scuffle ensued.
According to a police report released after the incident was reported, the suspect disarmed Oduor and fatally shot him. He also shot Kajwang before taking off with the slain officer's pistol.
It is not clear what exactly was the motive of the killing with speculation rife that the dispute was about the lady.
Okundi had been on the run until Sunday when he was nabbed by the police who had been hot on his heels from Thursday morning.
According to an inventory prepared by the DCI Eldoret West under whose jurisdiction the arrest was made, Okundi was found with a Jericho pistol bearing Kenya police serial number believed to be the firearm stolen from the deceased.
Also recorded as recovered from him was a magazine and seven rounds of 9mm ammunition.
The Star further established that the woman in whose house the incident occurred had been questioned by the detectives handling the matter.
She was interrogated for long hours on Friday by the sleuths probing the matter at the Kisumu Central police station to bring to light what happened on the morning of the murder.
Several theories have emerged with claims that Oduor could have found himself in the crossfire between the suspect and his friend who are alleged to have been dating the woman.