A suspect arraigned in court on Wednesday for the murder of a top private security firm executive had previously been charged with robbery with violence.
Wells Fargo human resources director Willis Ayieko disappeared on Friday, October 18 after visiting a bereaved family in Muhanda, Nyamninia area in Gem sub-county. His body was found in a stream on October 23.
Vincent Ouma Okoth, 25, who appeared in a Siaya court in connection with the murder of Mr Ayieko, had been charged with robbery with violence in May this year.
The case was withdrawn, however, with prosecutors claiming that witnesses had refused to testify because of threats.
On Wednesday, Siaya Magistrate Jacob Mkala ordered Mr Okoth to be remanded in custody for 21 days at Railway Police Station in Kisumu County while police investigate Ayieko's killing.
This followed an application by prosecutor Evans Soita, supported by an affidavit from investigating officer Oliver Nabonwa.
Documents show that Mr Okoth was arraigned at the Siaya Law Courts in May to face charges following a violent robbery over a May 2 incident at Ng'iya market.
However, the case did not proceed because the complainant and two witnesses failed to attend court.
Citing this past criminal case, Mr Soita on Wednesday persuaded the court to remand the suspect in custody while investigations into Ayieko's murder continue.
“The suspect has a history of engaging in criminal acts. In a recent case before Magistrate Benjamin Limo, he threatened witnesses who were due to testify in a case of robbery with violence,” Mr Soita told the court.
The magistrate ordered that the suspect undergo psychiatric evaluation and that the suspect's mobile phone be subjected to forensic examination.
“The mobile phone belonging to the respondent, Redmi Note Pro, will be subjected to forensic examination. The service provider, Airtel Kenya, is hereby directed to provide the investigations officer information concerning the SIM card in the phone belonging to the respondent,” the magistrate ordered.
Mr Okoth was arrested on Monday at the Terminus area in Dandora Phase Four, Nairobi, by a joint team of detectives from the Homicide, Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) and Operations units.
The suspect, who comes from Siaya, had in the past been hired by local politicians to provide security.
DCI boss Mohamed Amin told the Nation on Wednesday that so far two suspects were in police custody in connection with the ongoing investigations.
“So far, we have two suspects in custody in relation to the murder. Police are still pursuing more suspects,” he said.
Details of the woman, including her name and her role in the murder, have not been made public.
The woman was arrested during an operation to arrest her boyfriend, who police say escaped with life-threatening injuries.
The Wednesday morning operation resulted in a shoot-out after the woman and her boyfriend defied orders to stop the car they were travelling in.
Police recovered a firearm belonging to Mr Ayieko that was stolen on the day he was killed in Siaya on October 23.
The gun had 14 rounds of ammunition when it went missing, but none when it was found.
“The man managed to escape but with life-threatening injuries. Police are still pursuing him,” said an officer who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media.
Detectives believe the woman has very important information that will assist in the ongoing investigation.
