Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Gilbert Masengeli, has interdicted eight police officers following the escape of 13 suspects from the Gigiri Police Station early Tuesday morning.
The interdicted officers, now under custody, include the Gigiri sub-County police commander, the officer commanding the station (OCS), and six other personnel.
The officers implicated include the report officer, cell century officer, duty non-commissioned officer (NCO), order officer, and station guard. The interdictions came after preliminary investigations suggested that the escape was an “inside job” facilitated by the officers on duty at the time.
Mr. Masengeli stated, “Preliminary investigations indicate that the escape was aided by insiders. Given the deployment of officers to guard the station, we are confident that the incident could not have occurred without internal complicity.”
The Gigiri Police Station is strategically located, surrounded by a wall and neighboring key security installations such as police quarters and the diplomatic police station, with constant high-security vigilance due to its proximity to the UN offices, the High Commission of India, and the US Embassy.
Among the escapees was Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, the main suspect in the murders of six women whose bodies were found dumped in the Kware quarry, Embakasi. Jumaisi, who had confessed to the killings, was being held at Gigiri Police Station awaiting plea-taking on Friday, August 23, 2024.
Alongside him, 12 other detainees of Eritrean origin, held for overstaying in the country illegally, also escaped.
The incident was reported under OB 05/20/08/2024 by officers Evans Kipkirui and Gerald Mutuku, who discovered the escape when they went to serve breakfast and found that the inmates had cut through the wire mesh at the basking bay and fled.
A manhunt has been launched to recapture the escapees, with Nairobi Regional Commander Adamson Bungei confirming ongoing operations.
“We are actively pursuing all escapees and will bring them to justice,” Commander Bungei said.
The escape raises serious questions about internal security at the station, especially in light of its strategic location and high-security protocols.
The Acting Inspector-General has vowed to ensure all those responsible are held accountable, and investigations continue to determine the full extent of internal involvement in the escape.