The deceased’s colleagues and family revealed that after attending the burial, he set out for his home in Kakamega
A Human Resource (HR) manager at a security company, Willis Ayieko, who went missing five days ago, was found dead on Wednesday, October 23.
Ayieko’s body was identified after it was found handcuffed and abandoned near a stream in the Nyamninia sub-location within Gem, Siaya County. He had reportedly gone missing on Friday, October 18, 2024, after attending a burial in the North Gem location.
The deceased’s colleagues and family revealed that after attending the burial, he set out for his home in Kakamega, with family members reporting that he was expected to attend a family event the following day but never arrived.
Concern grew when they realized he was out of contact for an extended period. After police launched investigations, Ayieko’s vehicle, an orange double-cabin Ford pick-up truck, would later be found abandoned in Sabatia, Vihiga County near a petrol station. He was however missing.
The late Human Resource Manager Willis Ayieko. /CITIZEN DIGITAL
Siaya Sub-County Police Commander Charles Wafula confirmed the grim discovery. “We received a call from members of the public who alerted us to a body near a stream in Yala. Upon arrival, we found the deceased handcuffed, which immediately raised suspicions of a criminal act. Investigations are underway to establish the circumstances of his death,” Wafula said.
Wafula also revealed that police were analyzing CCTV footage from the petrol station which showed two men parking the vehicle before fleeing the scene. “We are analyzing the footage and working with our colleagues in Vihiga to identify the suspects,” Wafula added.
The police commander emphasized the seriousness of the case, noting, “Given the nature of the incident and how Ayieko’s body was found, we are treating this as a possible homicide. We will not rest until we get to the bottom of this.”
Ayieko’s family remains in shock as they await answers. One family member expressed devastation by his death, terming Ayieko as a peaceful man with no known enemies, and that it was hard to understand why anyone would want to harm him.
Wafula confirmed that Ayieko’s body has been transferred to the Aga Khan Hospital mortuary for preservation, with an autopsy set to determine the exact cause of death.
“We are calling on anyone with information that could assist in this investigation to come forward. Every lead is crucial at this stage,” he urged, adding that the cooperation of the public has been helpful so far.
As investigations continue, authorities are hopeful that the CCTV footage and witness accounts will help piece together the final moments leading to Ayieko’s death, providing much-needed closure for his grieving family.
Ayieko’s disappearance came to public attention over the weekend when concerned social media users began circulating his images online, calling for information on his whereabouts.
The demise is now evident of a recent spate of mysterious killings to have swept the country. In Eastleigh, a family is seeking justice after three family members – a mother and her two daughters – were found murdered in different locations within Nairobi.
The trio, who disappeared on Monday, October 21, were all found dead in Bahati, Parklands, and Machakos respectively with similar injuries. According to family members, the two girls left home on Monday in search of their mother who had yet to return home after a visit to the hospital.
On September 27, the mutilated body of Wajir’s Dela Ward MCA Yussuf Hussein Ahmed was discovered in Lake Yahud, two weeks after he was abducted. The Law Society of Kenya has since condemned the MCA’s murder, terming it a gross violation of fundamental human rights.
Image of a crime scene. /VIRAL TEA KE
