The father of the prime suspect in the Sh1.5 billion Equity Bank heist has resurfaced after being abducted from his home in Mathioya, Murang’a County.
Joseph Kimari Muchiri, a former MCA, is the father of David Machiri Kimani, the Equity Bank Manager at the Group Processing Centre, Salary Processing Unit.
Detectives allege that Machiri’s credentials were used to process fraudulent transactions totaling Sh1,545,887,140.49 from the bank on July 10.
David Machiri has been missing since his abduction on August 11th, but his father was released two days later, on August 13th.
After his release, Mr. Kimari has reportedly been warned by his captors not to speak to the media about his ordeal.
Briefly addressing the public, he said, “I am glad to be alive and okay. I just don’t have much to say, but we appreciate the concern shown to me and my family.” He added that he would speak to the media when the time is right.
Sources close to the family revealed to a local media outlet that Kimari was brought back home at 3 a.m. on August 13th in a convoy of more than five Subaru vehicles, allegedly belonging to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
A family member disclosed that Kimari recounted being taken to an unknown forest, where he could hear lions roaring and hyenas laughing.
Meanwhile, the whereabouts of David Machiri remain unknown, and the family is still in distress over his disappearance.
Machiri was initially arrested in July and charged with defrauding Equity Bank of Sh1.5 billion but was later released on bail before being abducted.
