Campbell Scott came to Nairobi for business but will leave in a body bag back to Britain.
The 58-year-old British businessman, a senior director at data analytics firm Fico, arrived on February 16, ready for a three-day workshop at the JW Marriott Hotel.
He had meetings lined up with officials from the UK, the US, and several African countries. But within hours, something went terribly wrong. He vanished, only to be found six days later—his body stuffed in a green sack, hands and feet bound, dumped deep in a remote forest. His disappearance set off a frantic search that ended in tragedy.
His body was discovered about 110 kilometers southeast of Nairobi, far from the bustling city where he was last seen. Scott’s murder has left detectives scrambling for answers.
Two suspects—a waiter at a Westlands club and a taxi driver—have been arrested. But the motive of the murder remains a mystery. His last known moments were captured on CCTV.
On February 16, Scott was seen leaving the JW Marriott with a man dressed in a white T-shirt and blue jeans. They got into a car, and Scott was never seen alive again. The next day, his absence raised concern, and his disappearance was reported to Parklands Police Station.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) soon took over, enlisting Interpol’s help in tracking him down. Days passed with no sign of him. Then, on February 22, a herder in Makongo Forest noticed a sack emitting a foul smell. When local authorities arrived, they found the decomposing body of a middle-aged man. Back in Nairobi, police worked quickly to confirm his identity. His friends at the mortuary recognized his clothes and physique. “Subject to further confirmation, we can say it’s him,” a police officer said.
“We don’t know why or who killed him and traveled with the body this far.” At least six people, including hotel staff and security personnel, have recorded statements with police. Investigators are analyzing his call records, hoping to piece together his final hours. A postmortem was scheduled for February 25 to determine how he died. But for now, Scott’s colleagues and loved ones are left with more questions than answers.
