Two suspects in the murder of Willis Ayieko, a former Human Resource Director at Wells Fargo Security Company, have died in a span of 24 hours..
The first suspect, a woman who had been rushed to a hospital located in Yala, Siaya County, succumbed to injuries she sustained in a Wednesday gunfight with police during her arrest . The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is yet to name her, with Siaya County Criminal Investigation Officer Joseph Thuvi saying the police are still doing some analysis.
Hours later on Thursday afternoon, another suspect -- George Okoth Oduor -- was gunned down in Kisumu's Polyview Estate.
Mr Oduor had escaped the Wednesday gunfight and was at large before he was killed today, Nyanza Regional Police Commander Patrick Tito confirmed.
Nation.Africa understands that a multi-agency of officers attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) tried to milk information about the whole ordeal from the female suspect.
“The woman was rushed to a hospital in Yala, but sadly, she succumbed to her injuries,” the DCI said in a statement.
The woman was arrested in the wee hours of Wednesday but the man she was with, and who police believed to be her boyfriend, fled the scene.
On Wednesday, DCI boss Mohamed Amin said they had two suspects, including the now deceased woman, in custody.
The police, who were on the trail of the duo that was driving inside a newly bought vehicle, also recovered a firearm believed to be owned by Mr Ayieko.
At the time it was stolen, the firearm had 14 rounds of ammunition but by the time it was recovered, it had only 11.
Officers attached to Wagai Police Station had been informed by members of the public that two individuals were in possession of a gun.
“Responding officers from Wagai Police Station flagged down the suspect’s vehicle, but the male driver defied the orders and insisted opened fire on the police while speeding towards Luanda,” the DCI said.
According to police, the man driving the car managed to escape but with life-threatening injuries.
The operation on the outskirts of Siaya town took place just a day after another suspect, identified as Victor Ouma Okoth, was arrested from his hideout within Charity Area in Dandora Phase Four, Nairobi.
Mr Okoth had on Friday, October 25, 2024, approached the caretaker of the four-storey building and asked that he be shown one of the vacant houses.
The caretaker, who only identified himself as John, said that once he was shown the house, they had an argument on the mode of paying rent.
Mr Okoth had insisted on paying Sh4,000 meant to cater for rent until November 25, 2024.
“However, he later agreed to pay Sh750 as rent for the five days and an additional Sh4,000 plus cash meant for water deposit,” said the caretaker.
When Nation.Africa visited the house on Tuesday, the windows did not have any curtains and one could clearly see everything in the house — an indication that he was still in the process of moving in.
On Wednesday, Mr Okoth was arraigned in Siaya, and magistrate Jacob Mkala granted the prosecutor, Evans Soita, orders to detain him for 21 days.
“This court orders the following, based on the submissions from the state counsel Evans Soita and the investigations officer, Oliver Nabonwa, that; the respondent shall be held at Railways Police station in Kisumu for a period of 21 days from the date hereof, for the police to conduct their investigations,” said Mr Mkala in his ruling.
“The cellphone belonging to the respondent, Redmi Note Pro, 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 further ordered.
Meanwhile, the family Ayieko’s has started the burial preparations of their kin which is scheduled for November 9 at Uhuru Wuo-Roya village in Alego Usonga.
There will be a candle-lighting ceremony for friends and relatives at Governor’s Park in Siaya town as well as Nairobi on Friday November 1.
Before meeting his death, Ayieko had attended a night vigil at a friend's place in Gem sub-County.
