NAIROBI – A protected witness has testified in court that he was paid KSh 9,000 to transport individuals accused of abducting and murdering Willis Ayieko, a former Human Resources manager at Wells Fargo.
Testifying under the Witness Protection Agency programme, the witness recounted how he was recruited by the first accused, Victor Ouma Okoth, also known as Sisco or Govins, to assist in the operation that led to Ayieko’s abduction, torture, and subsequent killing.
According to the witness, Okoth contacted him and asked him to find a motorcycle, claiming it was needed for a job being coordinated by an individual known as Champee, allegedly one of the masterminds behind the murder, but now deceased.
The witness stated that he was not told the details of the assignment, only that he would receive a good payment if he availed a motorcycle and remained on standby.
The witness said Okoth assured him that all he needed to do was fuel the bike and wait for further instructions.
On October 18, 2024, Okoth called to confirm whether he had secured the motorcycle.
When the witness affirmed, he was instructed to meet Okoth at 5:30 pm in Dudi.
Concerned about fuel, he informed Okoth that the motorcycle was empty.
Okoth then told him to refuel at a local station and send him the till number so he could pay.
After fuelling, the witness proceeded towards Dudi via the Kisian-Rabuor road.
While en route, Okoth called and redirected him to Mutumbu Centre.
There, they met at Amigos Pub, where two other men were drinking. One of them, identified as Champee, was introduced as part of the group. Okoth instructed the witness to follow a motorcycle carrying Champee.
Along the way, they stopped, and both Okoth and Champee entered a dark area. When they returned, their appearances had changed. Champee wore a U.S. military-style jacket and carried an AK-47 rifle, while Okoth donned a black jacket and also had a rifle. The group proceeded to a homestead where a funeral service was ongoing.
The witness said he was told to wait outside while Okoth and Champee entered the compound. They later returned, this time in a vehicle. As the vehicle passed him, he recognised Champee 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, toward the house.
Okoth reportedly held a gun and instructed the man to walk. At around 11:00 pm, Okoth asked the witness to take him to Kisumu to withdraw money. They searched for open M-Pesa shops, eventually finding one where Okoth, using a stylish foldable phone, made several withdrawals.
By 6:00 am, the witness said he dropped Okoth back in Dudi before returning the motorcycle to its owner and going home to sleep, having been out all night. The following day, October 19, 2024, Okoth returned in a pickup truck, collected all his belongings, and informed the witness that he had secured a job in Nairobi and was relocating.
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.
The case is being prosecuted by Catherine Mwaniki, Patrick Okango, Joyce Mumu, Soita China, and Mercy Mutheu.
