Two bank tellers under scrutiny as DCI intensifies inquiry in the murder of Mumias educator.
Ismael Wawire displaying an image of Roselyda Akinyi, who was fatally attacked by unidentified assailants after taking out money from a bank. [Benjamin Skawa, Standard] Detectives investigating the homicide of a teacher by unknown attackers following her withdrawal of Sh285,000 from a financial institution in Mumias have focused their inquiry on two bank tellers.
The Standard has determined that the two bank workers who attended to the deceased Roselyda Akinyi are persons of interest, while they continue to pursue two additional suspects captured on the bank’s CCTV footage.
This comes as it has been revealed that the victim was stabbed with a knife rather than shot with a gun, contrary to earlier claims by officials.
Last week, Akinyi was ambushed by a group of criminals in a saloon vehicle, shortly after she withdrew cash from the bank.
She was assaulted just under a kilometer from the bank.
As stated by Western Regional Criminal Investigation Officer, Njeru Nthiga, the detectives are looking for two men who were observed interacting suspiciously with a bank teller and a security guard.
“So far, so good, we are not doing badly. We have two suspects who were in the bank and they were seen engaging a bank teller at the loan section and a bank security guard,” remarked Nthiga.
He continued, “She was not killed by a gun but rather the killer used a sharp and long knife which went through the left side of the chest, cut the right aorta of the heart and came out through the right side of the ribs before it was removed, and that is why there were small wounds at the entry and exit different from the effects of a gun. ”
He mentioned that initial investigations indicate one of the suspects had inquired about a non-existent loan, while another engaged a guard, claiming some funds had been sent to the wrong number and he required assistance as they waited for the deceased to make a withdrawal.
According to Nthiga, the detectives have thus far secured CCTV evidence from the bank, which clearly depicts the suspects tracing the deceased while feigning phone conversations in the queue.
“The suspects can be seen suspiciously observing the deceased, and we question their behavior; if they aren’t the murderers or scouts for the killers, they should guide us to the actual culprits,” stated Nthiga.
He asserted that police have ample reason to suspect that the two tellers, a bank security guard, and the boda boda rider who transported the deceased possess significant information that could help solve the murder.
“We have numerous avenues we are exploring because when you make a large withdrawal, bank tellers can set you up, or a bank guard, or perhaps the suspects may notice the kind of withdrawal and decide to follow you,” he concluded.
According to the investigator, even though the boda boda driver is reported to be a relative of the deceased, he will be interrogated to determine if he was in any manner an informant for one of the suspects.
“We have already secured the mobile device of the deceased, which is currently with us for additional examination. It is a challenging task, but we must proceed with it,” stated Nthiga.