However, with the porosity of the Kenya-Ethiopia border, the
hope of recovering the money is dwindling even as detectives extend the search
to Moyale town that is geographically larger on the Ethiopian side.
Search for Sh47 million stolen from Equity Bank during last
week’s plane heist at Odda Airstrip in Moyale, Marsabit, is expected to extend
to Ethiopia.This comes as police revealed that Sh60 million had been
targeted in the daring robbery last week but a three-man gang managed to make
away with two money bags containing Sh47 million.
However, with the porosity of the Kenya-Ethiopia border, the
hope of recovering the money is dwindling even as detectives extend the search
to Moyale town that is geographically larger on the Ethiopian side.
There are also concerns that the robbers could have already
exchanged the money into Ethiopian currency as the exchange is usually largely
unregulated and is done openly in the streets.
Police on Tuesday said Sh60 million was being flown to Moyale
at the time of the robbery. Eastern Regional Police Commander Eunice Kihiko
told the Business Daily that inquiry into the robbery has since been handed
over to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nairobi. “The
suspects took two money bags and left one. From our findings, we have
established that Sh47 million was stolen. The case is now being investigated at
DCI headquarters,” she said.The money was being transported by air from Nairobi to Moyale
last Wednesday. Police said three robbers were involved in the heist.
The plane landed at the Odda airstrip around 1pm barely 15
kilometres from the Ethiopian border where the three men were reportedly
waiting. The plane had only three occupants, a pilot, his assistant and a cash
officer from Wells Fargo Courier Limited.
Equity Bank officials were about to receive the money from
the aircraft when the three men struck. One of them is said to have brandished
a pistol at the officials. The other two forced their way into the plane and
took the two money bags. They escaped on a motorcycle.
Police are still holding the bank officials, including the
operations manager, over the theft as detectives now focus on the possibility
that the theft was an inside job. Detectives have also grilled the two pilots
and the Wells Fargo officer.
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