NAIROBI, Kenya — Five Kenyan police officers appeared in court Wednesday, suspected of aiding the escape of an alleged serial killer and 12 other detainees from a Nairobi jail cell. Authorities launched a manhunt Tuesday after Collins Jumaisi, 33, accused of murdering and dismembering dozens of women, broke out of a police station in an upscale area of the capital.
Acting national police chief Gilbert Masengeli said, “Our preliminary investigations indicate that the escape was aided by insiders.” Police are seeking to detain the officers for an additional 14 days to complete their investigation.
Jumaisi, arrested last month, was described by police as a “psychopathic serial killer with no respect for human life” following the discovery of mutilated bodies in a Nairobi slum area. Police say he confessed to murdering 42 women over a two-year period from 2022, with his wife allegedly his first victim.
The escape was discovered during a routine cell check around 5:00 am Tuesday. “On opening the cell door, they discovered that 13 prisoners had escaped by cutting the wire mesh in the basking bay,” police said in a statement, referring to a covered courtyard area where detainees could access fresh air.
The 12 Eritreans who escaped with Jumaisi had been arrested for being in Kenya illegally. Four other detainees who remained in custody are assisting with the investigation.
The police station is located in Gigiri, a district housing the regional United Nations headquarters and numerous embassies.
Jumaisi’s lawyer told AFP last month that his client claimed to have been molested and tortured. The escape marks the second time in six months that a suspect in a high-profile case has fled custody in Kenya.
This incident follows the February escape of Kevin Kangethe, a Kenyan national accused of murdering his girlfriend in the United States. Kangethe was recaptured after about a week and ordered extradited to the U.S. in early August.
As the manhunt continues, authorities are grappling with questions about jail security and potential corruption within the police force. The case has raised concerns about the integrity of Kenya’s criminal justice system and its ability to handle high-profile suspects.
