Police focus on Equity staff, pilot, guards in Moyale robbery

Detectives have turned their attention to the Moyale Equity Bank staff and a security company as they seek to unravel the theft of an unknown amount money in a robbery on September 11, 2019. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Detectives have narrowed down on the bank’s staff, security officers, pilot and the Wells Fargo security guards.
  • The aircraft used is still being held, with the pilot and the three Wells Fargo security guards who were on board also being grilled.

Detectives have turned their attention to the Moyale Equity Bank staff and a security company as they seek to unravel the theft of an unknown amount money in a robbery on Wednesday.

Police have confirmed that all the senior staffs and the bank’s internal security unit are currently being questioned in order to establish if the theft was an inside job.

According to Moyale Sub-County Police Commander Maina Nderitu, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have taken over the investigations and narrowed down on the bank’s staff, security officers, pilot and the Wells Fargo security guards.

MONEY EXPECTED

“I don’t have much updates at the moment because the DCI are currently probing the Equity Bank staff to unravel the part they [could have] played in the heist, the amount of money expected and the money that was left in one of the three boxes.

“The ongoing investigations also involve the public who could be knowing the culprits, the [getaway] motorcycle’s number plate and any other lead that can be of use in the investigation process,” Mr Nderitu old the Nation.

He said that the Equity staff are expected to reveal the total amount of money that was stolen in the incident by counting the amount left in one of the three boxes that was not taken by the robbers.

They are also expected to reveal the total amount of money they expected from Nairobi.

He clarified that the total amount stolen by the robbers is still unknown.

PLANE HELD

He added that the aircraft used is still being held, with the pilot and the three Wells Fargo security guards who were on board also being grilled by the detectives.

At the same time, Marsabit County Police Commander Steve Oloo questioned the statements given to the police over the incident.

He said that the incident was the first one of its kind to be witnessed in the region and leaves a lot to be desired.

For instance, he wondered why the security officers never arrived at the airstrip in time before the aircraft landed as the regulations require when moving bank money.

PILOT BEHAVIOUR

He also wondered why the pilot was in a hurry to check the plane’s fuel level instead of using the indicator in the cabin, given that the security officers had not arrived to help move the money to the bank.

“We are yet to get any updates since the investigations are now ongoing to ascertain the total amount of money stolen by the robbers yesterday and the total amount of money expected [to have been delivered]. We ask the public to cooperate with the police in relaying any crucial information that could lead to the arrest of the culprits,’’ Mr Oloo said.

He also questioned the information given to the police about the robbers ambushing the aircraft, ordering the occupants to lie down and disappearing on a motorcycle whose registration could not be traced.