The move comes after Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Mohamed Amin flocked to the police station after news of the daring escape broke out.
Following reports that emerged on Tuesday morning, August 20 that 13 suspects, including Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, the main suspect in the heinous Kware killings that sparked uproar across the nation last month, escaped from Gigiri Police Station, eight police officers have been interdicted.
The eight include the Gigiri Officer in Charge of Police Division (OCPD), Officer Commanding Station (OCS), report officers and other officials of the Gigiri Police Station who were accused of aiding and abetting crime.
The move comes after Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Mohamed Amin flocked to the police station after news of the daring escape broke out.
Also joining them was Douglas Kanja, whom the committees of Parliament namely the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security, along with the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence, and Foreign Relations had on the same day approved his nomination by President William Ruto as the new Inspector General of Police.
Gigiri Police Station declared a crime scene following escape of 13 suspects on August 20, 2024. /PHOTO
The officers also face job loss and detention following the escape of Jumaisi and 12 suspects from Eritrea who were detained at the police station over staying in the country illegally, and who were with the serial killer in the same cell they were detained in.
“Our primary investigation indicates that the escape was aided by insiders. I have consequently interdicted eight officers who were on duty during the escape,” said Masengeli, who was accompanied by Amin and Kenya Police Service boss cum Deputy IG Eliud Langat, among others.
Masengeli also announced the manhunt for the detainees who escaped from custody. Four out of the 17 inmates who failed to escape are helping police officers with investigations.
“We are conducting investigations to ascertain the circumstances of the escape, including examining CCTV footage for more details regarding the incident,” he added.
Per a police report seen by Viral Tea, the matter was reported by two police officers manning the cells, that is, Evans Kipkirui and Gerald Mutuku, saying they were making a routine visit to the cells with the canteen manager to serve the inmates breakfast when they discovered the suspects had escaped.
“The scene has been visited by sub-county police officer Gigiri who found out that the escape was granted through an opening on the wire mesh roof at the basking,” the police report read in part.
Jumaisi is suspected of being a serial killer, with his escape sparking fear and raising many questions among observers regarding how a criminal with national interest slipped away from the watchful eyes of the police.
The location of the police station was also taken into consideration given that it sits in Nairobi’s Diplomatic Zone, housing a variety of embassies, including the United States (US) Embassy, hence security is watertight.
It has since been declared a crime scene, with DCI revealing that the suspects cut a wire mesh before scaling a perimeter wall.
Jumaisi was first presented at the Kiambu law courts before the Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ooko who declined to handle the case, arguing that the matter took place in Embakasi and ought to be handled by the Makadara law courts.
On July 15, 2024, DCI identified the serial killer as 33-year-old Jumaisi who was said to have confessed to killing 42 women from as early as 2022 to July 2024.
He further claimed that his first victim was his wife namely Imelda Judith Khalenya whom he strangled to death before dismembering her body and disposing of it at the dumpsite in Mukuru kwa Njenga where multiple bodies, mostly of women, were discovered in the same month.
The suspect, Collins Jomaisi Khalisia, arrested over Mukuru killings (left) and onlookers at Kware Dumpsite. /DCI.PHOTO