Joseph Kimari Machiri, the father of the key suspect in the Equity Bank Sh1.5 billion heist, has shared details about his abduction. The former MCA for Murang’a was kidnapped from his home on August 11.
Armed men, who pretended to be police officers, forcibly took him away in a raid captured on CCTV.
This abduction occurred shortly after his son, David Machiri, was also abducted from his Thogoto, Kiambu home.
Equity Bank Heist
David Machiri, a manager at Equity Bank, is suspected of orchestrating the massive theft of Sh1.5 billion from the bank on July 10.
The theft involved using his bank credentials to carry out over 47 illicit transactions, totaling Sh1,545,887,140.49.
These transactions were flagged by Equity Bank’s internal control unit, leading to an investigation.
David Machiri was arrested and charged with fraud.
Despite the evidence, Machiri was granted bail, only to be kidnapped shortly after, alongside his father Joseph Kimari.
Abduction Details
During his captivity, Joseph Kimari was taken to a forest where he heard the sounds of roaring lions and cackling hyenas. He was held for two days before being released on August 13.
His captors warned him to remain silent about the ordeal or face severe consequences.
Kimari was returned home in a convoy of more than five cars, similar to those used by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), raising concerns about possible law enforcement involvement. His family is worried that the abduction might be an attempt to influence the investigation, and their lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru, is calling for accountability, pointing out troubling trends in Kenyan law enforcement.
The DCI’s Banking Fraud Investigations Unit is now working from its headquarters to ensure thorough oversight as the case progresses.
By Vivian K.