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Wells Fargo manager last moments revealed, body moved to Nairobi

Detectives believe the vehicle, which likely had Ayieko and his abductors on board by then, was moving between Regea, Nyamninia, and Muhanda centres.

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by CYRUS OMBATI

News25 October 2024 - 08:41

In Summary


  • Logs from his car show where it passed 
  • His badly mutilated body was found in a stream at the border of Siaya and Kakamega.

Wells Fargo Human Resource Manager Willis Onyango Ayieko. PHOTO: HANDOUT

The body of slain Wells Fargo Human Resource Manager Willis Onyango Ayieko was Thursday moved to Nairobi.

This follows the request of the family and his employer, police said.

An autopsy is planned on the body at the Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi.

This came as a team of homicide unit from Nairobi arrived in Siaya and joined those on the ground in pursuing the matter.

The team has pieced together Ayieko’s last moments before his body was discovered almost five days after his abduction.

The body was discovered in the Mungowere stream in Yala, Siaya County on October 23 at 2pm.

The family had reported he was missing on Monday, October 21.

Police said the body was decomposed when it was discovered by a student.

It had bruises on the face and stomach indicating it was dragged on a rough surface.

The body was half-naked and seemed to have been tortured elsewhere before being dumped at the scene. It was handcuffed from behind.

The killers then drove his car to the Sabatia area, which is a few kilometres away and abandoned it on the roadside.

Ayieko went missing last Friday, October 18 after attending a burial vigil event in Gem, Siaya County.

He had stayed until about 10 pm before he left the funeral never to be found alive.

He had left his Kahawa Sukari home in Nairobi and informed his family he would be back on Monday as he was to attend two funeral events.

He flew out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Kisumu at about 1 pm and picked up his four-wheel drive car that was waiting for him.

After running a few errands in Kisumu, he drove to a funeral vigil in Gem, Siaya County.

His car had a dash camera and tracking device.

According to logs, Ayieko left Nyamninia at around 10:15 pm on Friday and drove 13 kilometres to Nyabeda centre.

He is believed to have been hijacked on this stretch by people who lay for him.

After about an hour, detectives believe the vehicle, which likely had Ayieko and his abductors on board by then, was moving between Regea, Nyamninia, and Muhanda centres.

It then proceeded to Dudi centre, where it remained stationary between 11:57 pm and 3:44 am on Saturday.

The car later circled back to Regea, where it stopped for eight minutes.

Police state that this was the last time his phone was traced.

It however went on and off on Sunday, briefly.

CCTV footage shows the car being driven towards Kakamega.

At 6:04 am on Saturday, the vehicle was seen diverting at Sabatia centre, where it was later abandoned.

Detectives say preliminary findings show whereas Ayieko’s four-wheel drive car had a working dash camera, it was switched off or disabled on Friday, October 18 night.

This, according to police shows those who took him were aware of the camera and made efforts to disable it or hide their identities.

Two men who dumped the car in Sabatia few kilometers away from where the body was found wore caps and never raised their heads while leaving the scene.

They parked the car next to a petrol station and opened its bonnet to suggest there was a mechanical problem before walking away carrying a bag.

The bag is believed to have been containing Ayieko’s personal belongings and other valuables.

The team said they believe Ayieko was trailed from Nairobi to Gem in Siaya where he was hijacked and later murdered.

The team is also investigating if Ayieko’s bank accounts were affected in the period he was missing or preceding his death.

According to police, they will seek to talk to his colleagues as part of the probe into the murder.

The motive behind the brutal murder is yet to be known but officials say it indicates vengeance.

“We have good leads for now,” said a member of the team investigating the incident.

He was a licensed gun holder. His pistol with 14 bullets was among the valuables stolen from him.


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