Five Officers Freed on Ksh200,000 Bond Amid Allegations of Aiding Serial Killer’s Daring Jailbreak
Five police officers from the Gigiri Police Station have been freed on a personal bond of Ksh200,000 each, despite facing serious allegations of helping a notorious serial killer and several detainees escape.
The incident took place on Monday, August 20, when Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, accused of murdering 42 women, and 12 other suspects broke out of custody.
On Thursday, August 22, the court allowed their release after they were arraigned on Wednesday. Police had sought a 14-day remand to investigate the officers’ potential involvement in the escape of the 13 detainees.
State prosecutor James Gachoka and the police argued that the investigation was ongoing and that detaining the officers was necessary to ensure a thorough probe.
However, Magistrate Martha Naanzushi granted their release on a personal bond, with a condition to report to the investigating officer twice a week as the investigation progresses.
The escape of Collins Jumaisi, who admitted to committing a series of grisly murders since 2022, including the killing of his wife, has sent shockwaves through Nairobi.
Jumaisi and the 12 Eritreans reportedly broke free by cutting through a wire mesh over a window at the Gigiri Police Station. The jailbreak was discovered at around 5:00 a.m. on Monday, sparking an urgent manhunt.
Officer Benedict Kaulu, leading the investigation, stated that over five witness statements are still pending.
The officers’ mobile phones have been handed over to the cybercrime unit for forensic analysis, while CCTV footage from the station is also under review.
Prosecutors have expressed concerns that insiders within the police force may have assisted in the escape.
The detained officers were on duty during the incident, raising suspicions of possible internal collusion.
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Fears persist that releasing the officers could obstruct the investigation, given their suspected involvement in the breakout.
On Thursday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) escalated efforts to recapture Jumaisi, offering a substantial reward for information leading to his arrest.
The audacious jailbreak has sparked public outrage and fueled suspicion, with authorities now focusing on what increasingly looks like an inside job.
The brazen escape, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, has cast doubt on the integrity of the Gigiri Police Station officers.
Emerging details suggest that Jumaisi, accused of killing 42 women, and the other escapees did not sneak away under the cover of darkness but instead calmly exited through the main door.
This took place under the eyes of two officers on night duty, who, according to eyewitness accounts, may have been complicit in the escape.
The DCI has now offered a significant cash reward for information leading to Jumaisi’s re-arrest. “A substantial cash reward is available for anyone providing credible details that lead to the suspect’s capture,” the agency announced in a notice published by the Daily Nation on Thursday, August 22. They urged the public to help in the high-stakes hunt for the dangerous fugitive.
The investigation into the jailbreak has intensified, with detectives closely examining the mobile phone records and financial transactions of the officers on duty that night.
Forensic analysis of these communications is anticipated to reveal whether the officers were involved in facilitating the escape.
Five Officers Freed on Ksh200,000 Bond Amid Allegations of Aiding Serial Killer’s Daring Jailbreak
