New revelations have surfaced in the ongoing investigation into the brutal murder of businessman Willis Ayieko, with a protected witness testifying that he was unknowingly involved in the abduction that led to the killing. At the center of the testimony are a motorcycle, a fuel errand, and a Ksh9,000 payment.
Speaking under the Witness Protection Agency programme on Monday, May 26, the witness—testifying in court through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP)—said he was contacted by the first accused, who asked him to source a motorcycle for a job in exchange for payment.
According to his account, he was given minimal details and told only that he would be well compensated. The task seemed straightforward: fuel a motorbike and remain on standby. When the bike ran out of fuel, the first accused promptly sorted it out.
On October 18, 2024, the accused instructed the witness to meet in Dudi. Later, he was redirected to Mutumbu Centre and met the accused at Amigos Pub, where two other men—including a now-deceased suspect—were present.
What started as a seemingly simple transport job soon turned ominous. The witness described how the accused later reappeared dressed in military-style clothing and carrying AK-47 rifles. They instructed him to accompany them to a homestead where a funeral was taking place. While the witness waited outside, the group entered and returned in a vehicle.
Shortly after, they stopped near a mud-walled house, and the witness saw them escort a man with a sack over his head and his hands cuffed. The armed suspects led him into the house. Later that night, at around 11:00 pm, the first accused requested a ride to Kisumu, saying he needed to withdraw money.
By the following day, October 19, the first accused had packed his belongings and informed the witness that he was relocating to Nairobi for a new job. The witness insisted in court that he was unaware a murder had occurred until he was arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Businessman Willis Ayieko, a Human Resources manager, went missing on October 18, 2024, while attending a funeral in Gem, Siaya County. His body was found a few days later in Dudi, Siaya, while his vehicle—a Ford Ranger—was recovered abandoned in Sabatia.
The shocking testimony adds a new layer to the ongoing murder trial, raising more questions about the planning, motives, and network behind Ayieko’s killing. The court continues to hear evidence from other witnesses as the prosecution builds its case.