Fresh details regarding the murder of businessman Willis Ayieko have emerged, with a motorcycle and Ksh9,000 at the heart of it.
On Monday, May 26, through the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), a protected witness testifying in Ayieko’s case revealed how he was paid Ksh9,000 to ferry the alleged abductors of the slain businessman.
Testifying under the Witness Protection Agency programme, the witness recounted how he was recruited by the first accused to assist in the operation that led to Ayieko’s abduction, torture, and subsequent killing.
According to the witness, the first accused contacted him and asked him to find a motorcycle, claiming it was needed for a job being coordinated by another individual, allegedly one of the masterminds behind the murder, but now deceased.
He stated that he was not told the details of the assignment, only that he would receive good payment if he availed a motorcycle and remained on standby. The witness said the first accused assured him that all he needed to do was fuel the bike and wait for further instructions.
Giving further detail, the witness narrated that on October 18, 2024, Sisco called to confirm whether he had secured the motorcycle. When the witness affirmed, he was instructed to meet Sisco at 5:30 pm in Dudi.
However, the witness noted the motorcycle did not have fuel, an issue which the first accused quickly sorted.
After fuelling, the witness proceeded towards Dudi in Siaya via the Kisian–Rabuor road. While en route, the first accused called and redirected him to the Mutumbu Centre. There, they met at Amigos Pub, where two other men were drinking. Here, they met the deceased suspect, who was introduced as part of the group.
The witness revealed that he was later instructed to follow a motorcycle carrying the now deceased second accused. Along the way, they stopped, and both the first and second accused entered a dark area.
When they returned, their appearances had changed. The second accused wore a U.S. military-style jacket and carried an AK-47 rifle, while the first accused donned a black jacket and also had a rifle.
The group later proceeded to a homestead where a funeral service was ongoing. The witness said he was told to wait outside while the two accused persons entered the compound. They later returned, this time in a vehicle. As the vehicle passed him, he recognised one of the accused in the driver’s seat.
They drove along a murram road and stopped near a mud-walled house. The witness observed as the accused led a man, his head covered with a sack and his hands cuffed behind his back, towards the house. The first accused reportedly held a gun and instructed the man to walk.
Later, the witness revealed that at 11:00 pm, the first accused instructed him to take him to Kisumu as he sought to withdraw money. The following day, October 19, 2024, the first accused returned in a pickup truck, collected all his belongings, and informed the witness that he had secured a job in Nairobi and was relocating.
Even so, the witness told the court he was unaware that anyone had been killed during the incident. He said he only learned of the murder after being arrested by DCI officers.
Ayieko, a Human Resources manager, was found dead in October last year, nearly a week after he went missing. The deceased's body was discovered in Dudi Gem, Siaya County, just hours after his vehicle, a Ford Ranger, was found abandoned in the Sabatia area.
The late Ayieko was last seen on Friday, October 18, in Gem, Siaya County, where he was attending a burial.
