This is as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Thursday, August 22 stepped up efforts to track down the escaped Jumaisi, who was meant to be charged with murder before he escaped from police custody on Monday, August 20.
Five police officers from the Gigiri Police Station have been released on a personal bond of Ksh200,000 each, despite being accused of aiding and abetting the escape of a notorious serial killer plus 12 other suspects.
This is as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Thursday, August 22 stepped up efforts to track down the escaped Jumaisi, who was meant to be charged with murder before he escaped from police custody on Monday, August 20.
“A significant cash reward will be provided to anyone with credible information leading to the suspect’s arrest. The suspect is from Shiru sub-location, Shaviringa location, Hamisi sub-county in Vihiga County,” DCI announced in a notice.
Meanwhile, the five; Ronald Babo, Evans Kipkirui, Mollent Achieng, Zachary Nyabuto and Gerald Mutuku, appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Martha Nanzushi on Wednesday before she granted them bond.
The suspect, Collins Jomaisi Khalisia, arrested over Mukuru killings (left) and onlookers at Kware Dumpsite. /DCI.PHOTO
“The officers are persons of interest in the case that involves the disappearance of 12 Eritrean nationals and Collins Jumaisi, the prime suspect in the murder of several people whose bodies were recovered in Kware, a low-income residential area in Nairobi. They appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Martha Nanzushi,” stated the Office of The Director Of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
The police had requested a 14-day detention to further investigate whether the officers were complicit in the escape of the 13 detainees.
State prosecutor James Gachoka and the police argued that the investigation was still ongoing and that the officers should remain in custody to facilitate a thorough probe.
Magistrate Martha Naanzushi, however, ruled that the five officers could be released on a personal bond. They have been ordered to report to the investigating officer twice a week as the investigation continues, their release coming two days after they were interdicted.
The escape of Jumaisi, who was said to have confessed to killing 42 women from as early as 2022 to July 2024, including his wife, sent shockwaves throughout Nairobi as it emerged that the 13 escaped through a cut-wire mesh over a window at the Gigiri Police Station. The jailbreak was discovered around 5:00 am on Monday, prompting an immediate manhunt.
According to Officer Benedict Kaulu, who is leading the investigation, statements from over five witnesses are still pending. The officers’ mobile phones have been sent to the cybercrime unit for forensic analysis, and CCTV footage from the station is also under review.
Prosecutors have raised concerns that the escape may have been facilitated by insiders within the police force. The detained officers were on duty at the time of the escape, adding to suspicions of internal complicity. There are fears that the release of the officers could hinder the investigation, as they are suspected of potentially having a role in the escape.
How That Escape Happened
The escape, which occurred under the cover of night, has exposed potential lapses in oversight and has led to the investigation of two police officers who were on duty at the time. A witness would then tell police that the detainees were able to walk out of the station’s main door.
Sources revealed that the two officers responsible for monitoring the Gigiri Police Station during the night shift have been identified as key suspects in the escape. The witness pointed to these officers as having played a pivotal role in facilitating the detainees’ freedom.
The escape was reportedly well-coordinated, with initial findings suggesting that the suspects did not cut through wire mesh or breach the cell walls. Instead, they walked out of the cells and through the main entrance, which was left unsecured.
Gigiri Police Station declared a crime scene following escape of 13 suspects on August 20, 2024. /PHOTO
The witness who was detained for fraud and was present during the escape, revealed to investigators that the duty officer had taken a roll call shortly after midnight but then failed to secure the cell doors before leaving. Upon being introduced to the cells, he observed that the suspects, including Khalusha, were already outside their cell cubes.
Jumaisi, who had been chained to the ground in a cell at the far end of the corridor, had been unchained and was seen in the corridor during the incident.
The witness also reported seeing the two officers receiving money from one of the detainees, with one officer appearing to be intoxicated. Insiders at the station further confirmed that there is a history of one officer, identified as a corporal, frequently reporting for duty while under the influence of alcohol, a matter which could have contributed to the lack of vigilance that allowed the detainees to escape unnoticed.
The escape came to light when a woman responsible for delivering meals to the cells discovered that some detainees were missing during her routine morning rounds. However, the delay in notifying senior command worsened the situation, allowing the escapees to vanish without immediate pursuit.