Police have recovered a firearm that was stolen during the burial of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Siaya County. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, October 19, 2025, saw a bodyguard attached to a county governor lose his rifle during the highly attended funeral ceremony.
According to police reports, the rifle, which was loaded with 15 bullets, went missing amid the commotion that followed the end of the burial ceremony. Thousands of mourners had gathered to pay their last respects to the veteran politician, and in the midst of the crowd, a group of unidentified youths managed to snatch the weapon from the officer. The gun was taken as the governor’s convoy was leaving the venue, leaving the officer disarmed and shaken.
Nearly a week later, on Saturday, October 25, police in Kisumu made a major breakthrough in the case. Acting on a public tip-off, officers launched an operation in the Mbeme area of Kisumu East, where they arrested four individuals believed to have been involved in the theft. During a search of one of the suspects’ houses, the stolen firearm was discovered hidden in the roof. The officers successfully recovered the weapon and took the suspects into custody for further questioning.
Investigations revealed that the suspects had been under surveillance after locals reported suspicious activity in the area. The recovery of the weapon was described as a significant success, bringing relief to the police force, which had been under pressure to resolve the embarrassing security lapse during such a high-profile event.
The Bondo Sub-County Police Commander earlier confirmed that the officer had been overpowered by a rowdy group during the burial. He explained that security agencies immediately launched an extensive search for the gun, deploying detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to assist in tracking down the suspects.
The recovery comes just days after Raila Odinga was laid to rest at his ancestral home in Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, Bondo. The burial was attended by family, dignitaries, and thousands of supporters in a solemn ceremony that celebrated the life and legacy of the long-serving political leader. The successful recovery of the stolen weapon now closes one of the key security incidents that had cast a shadow over the historic event.
