Mr Willis Ayieko, the Head of Human Resource (HR) at Wells Fargo. He went missing on Friday October 18, 2024, in Siaya County.
A Wells Fargo boss who was murdered last week was among company officials investigating a Sh94 million heist that hit the security firm last November, the Nation can now reveal.
This is according to family sources, friends and former colleagues at Wells Fargo, where Willis Ayieko worked as the director, human resource department.
Ayieko’s mutilated body was discovered in a shallow stream in Siaya on October 23, three days after he went missing.
In November 2023, Wells Fargo hit news headlines after members of its staff made away with the Sh94 million on transit from a Quick Mart Supermarket. The money was to be deposited in a bank along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi County.
A family source said the theft triggered the company to conduct an internal investigation. This was after the leadership held a series of crisis meetings as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) conducted a separate probe.
“The management of the security company sat in a series of high-level meetings to mitigate the crisis. Willis Ayieko, the HR manager, was in these meetings where the company initiated a parallel internal investigation into the matter,” said a family member.
According to the relative, following the internal investigation, a number of suspects working in the security company were also apprehended by police after forensic analysis of their communication data linked them to the two main suspects identified as Anthony Nduiki and Daniel Mutheka.
A Wells Fargo employee who spoke to the Nation about the role of the committee that conducted the internal investigation, said the team unraveled extra information that aided the probe.
“During the investigations, the team was dedicated to find out what really happened...to be honest, heads rolled that time,” said the staff member who spoke in confidence as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
On Monday, the Nation reached out to the security company but an official said the firm cannot comment on the matter.
“We cannot comment with regards to the matter,” said the person who introduced herself as Wells Fargo’s head of legal.
The Nation does not link Ayieko’s death to the role he played in the internal investigation into the heist given that there is no immediate evidence.
Last week, his body was transferred from Siaya County to Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi as the family plans for his burial.
No arrests
No one has been arrested in relation to the murder of Ayieko who has been described as a very friendly and outgoing individual.
This is despite CCTV footage capturing two individuals abandoning his orange Ford Ranger double-cabin pickup at a petrol station and walking away carrying two paper bags.
An officer privy to the ongoing investigations, who spoke to the Nation in confidence, said they are in possession of CCTV footage which will assist in the ongoing investigations.
“The CCTV will assist during the ongoing investigations. It is key,” said the officer.
It has emerged that the people who captured Ayieko are conversant with the vast Siaya as they only made rounds within the county and used feeder roads while avoiding the main highway.
Ayieko had on Friday, October 18, gone to Siaya to condole with his friend, Ben Agina, a media personality who had lost his mother at his home in Muhanda, Nyamninia Area in Gem Sub-County.
The following day he was scheduled to head to Kakamega County where he was to attend another function with friends but never made it there.
Ever since he went missing his mobile phones remained switched off with the family hoping that he would re-appear from where he had gone to. This never happened.
The Nation understands that a team of sleuths attached to the DCI’s Headquarters located along the busy Kiambu Road are part of those investigating the murder most foul.
Based on his Facebook account, Ayieko appears to be a man with many friends, including political leaders and businessmen who he hosted in his home known as Bob’s Ranch.
For instance, in 2020, he played host to Mr Paul Otuoma, the current governor of Busia County. On the same day he was also with former Alego Usonga MP Sammy Weya.
The family, through his elder brother Aggrey Onyango, is demanding justice as they ask the police to ensure that they do not bungle the investigations and ensure culprits responsible for Ayieko’s death are brought to book.
