Police consider insider job angle in Equity Moyale airstrip heist

The focus of investigation into the incident that saw armed robbers make away with an unknown amount of money destined to Equity Bank’s #ticker:EQTY Moyale branch has turned to the lender’s staff, a pilot and Wells Fargo security guards.

Police Thursday said all senior staff and the bank’s internal security unit are currently being questioned in order to establish whether the daring Wednesday theft at Odda airstrip 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 investigation and narrowed down on the bank’s staff, security officers, the pilot and security guards.

“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 ongoing investigations also involve the public who could be knowing the culprits, and the [getaway] motorcycle’s number plate,” Mr Nderitu said.

The total amount stolen by the robbers is still unknown.

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

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

The aircraft that ferried the cash is still being held, with the pilot undergoing grilling by DCI sleuths.

Marsabit County Police Commander Steve Oloo questioned the statements given to the police over the incident, including why the pilot went to manually check the plane’s fuel level after landing in Moyale instead of using the cabin indicator, given that the security officers had not yet arrived to help transport the money to the bank.

He also wondered why the security officers were late to arrive at the airstrip and not before the aircraft landed as regulations require.