One suspect arrested in murder of Wells Fargo HR boss Willis Ayieko
Mr Willis Ayieko, the Head of Human Resource (HR) at Wells Fargo. He went missing on Friday October 18, 2024, in Siaya County.
What you need to know:
- In November 2023, Wells Fargo hit news headlines after members of its staff made away with the Sh94 million on transit from Quick Mart Supermarket. The money was to be deposited in a bank along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi.
- A family source said that the theft triggered the company to conduct an internal investigation.
Update: Autopsy report reveals Wells Fargo HR Director Willis Ayieko died from head injuries, Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor says.
-------
Detectives in Nairobi have arrested a man they suspect was involved in the murder of Wells Fargo's head of human resources Willis Ayieko.
The suspect, identified as Victor Ouma Okoth, was captured on Tuesday by detectives attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Dandora Phase Four, where he was allegedly hiding.
DCI boss Mohamed Amin said that the suspect was being held at Muthaiga Police Station.
“The suspect was placed at the scene of crime through forensic analysis,” Mr Amin said.
The Nation understands that a joint team of detectives drawn from the homicide wing, crime research and intelligence bureau are investigating the matter.
Before his death, Mr Ayieko was part of an internal Wells Fargo team that was investigating the Sh94 million heist that hit the security firm in November 2023.
Family sources, friends, and his former colleagues at Wells Fargo shared the information with the Nation.
His brutalised body was on October 23, 2024, discovered inside a shallow stream in Siaya County, three days after he was reported missing.
In November 2023, Wells Fargo hit news headlines after members of its staff made away with the Sh94 million on transit from Quick Mart Supermarket. The money was to be deposited in a bank along Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi.
A family source said that the theft triggered the company to conduct an internal investigation.
This was after the company's top leadership held a series of crisis meetings as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) conducted a separate criminal 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 him, following the internal investigations, a number of suspects working in the security company were arrested after forensic analysis of their communication data linked them to the heists.
A member of staff who spoke to the Nation in relation to the role of the committee that conducted the internal investigation said the team managed to unearth extra information that played a role in getting to the bottom of the matter.
“During the investigations, the team was dedicated to finding out what really happened and to be honest heads rolled during 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 and the head of legal said that the firm could not 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.
