Eight officers interdicted over escape of 13 suspects from Gigiri police cells

Senior police officers led by acting inspector general of police Gilbert Masengeli and deputy inspector general of police Eliud Lagat at Gigiri police station where 13 suspects disappeared from the cells on Aug 20, 2024. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Gigiri Sub County police commander, Officer Commanding Station and six other officers were on Tuesday interdicted over the escape of 13 suspects from custody.

The prime suspect in the Kware dumpsite murders Collins ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001501306/main-suspect-in-kware-murders-12-others-escape-from-police-custody">Jumaisi Khalusha<, is among the suspects who escaped from Gigiri Police Station. 

Acting Inspector General of Police, Gilbert Masengeli, said preliminary investigations indicated that the officers may have aided the suspects to escape.

"The escape was aided by insiders, considering that officers were deployed accordingly to guard the station," Masengeli said on Tuesday during a press briefing at Gigiri Police Station.

"Consequently, I have interdicted eight officers who were on duty last night, among them the Gigiri sub-county police commander, Gigiri police station OCS, duty officer, duty NCO, station guards and report officer personnel," he added.

The suspects, including 12 Eritrean nationals who were allegedly in the country illegally are still at large.

Masengeli said investigations have been launched into the incident. 

"The matter is currently under investigation by Internal Affairs Unit and any person found culpable will face the full force of the law," he said.

The acting IG said the interdicted officers will be arraigned in court once investigations are complete.

"We have launched a manhunt to re-arrest the escapees especially the murder suspect Jumaisi," said Masengeli and appealed to the public to provide any information that may lead to the re-arrest of the suspects.

Jumaisi is the prime suspect in the murder of more than eight women, whose bodies were found dumped in Kware dumpsite, Mukuru kwa Njenga, Nairobi. 

The 33-year-old was arrested by ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001501306/main-suspect-in-kware-murders-12-others-escape-from-police-custody">detectives in a club< in Kayole on July 11, 2024.

Police said that assorted items were recovered from Jumaisi's house in Kware including a machete that they suspect was used to dismember the bodies, mobile phones, sim cards and sacks resembling those that were used to wrap the bodies. 

The police claimed that the suspect confessed to killing 42 women between 2022 and July 11, with his wife being the first victim, allegations that he later denied in court, saying he was coerced to admit to the heinous act. 

"Nothing concrete has been produced before this court in respect to the accusations levelled against my client. Much of what has been adduced is mere speculation," Jumaisi's advocate John Ndegwa told the court. 

On Tuesday, Masengeli said the suspect's escape from custody was reported by officers, vide OB 05/20/08/2024, after they made routine visits to the cells to serve breakfast, only to find four inmates in custody out of 17. 

Earlier, a police report indicated that the detainees escaped after cutting through the wire mesh at the station's basking bay.

"An officer and the canteen manager discovered the escape when they went to serve breakfast and found the cell door open," reads the police report. 

Jumaisi was to be arraigned in court on August 23, 2024, for plea-taking after the court granted the prosecution 30 more days to complete investigations.