Rogue police officers accused of aiding five suspects to escape from Limuru police station

Rogue police officers at Limuru police station in Kiambu, Kenya, are accused of aiding five suspected capital offenders to escape from a police cell. The suspects, who were being held for alleged involvement in robbery with violence and gang rape, escaped on November 4, a day before they were scheduled to appear in court. According to police sources, the escape was an inside job, with rogue elements within the station helping the suspects to flee.

The five suspects, identified as Moses Waswa, Simon Eshiwani, Daniel Ndichu Njoroge, Dedan Kariuki, and Edward Muriithi, had been arrested on October 14 and presented in court a day later. Prosecutors and investigators had asked the court for 21 days to hold them pending conclusion of a probe into their alleged crimes. The suspects left the police station one at a time through the main gate and got onto motorcycles that were waiting for them.

An insider at the police station told the Daily Nation that the initial report by officers on duty, claiming that they were overpowered during a commotion, was false and part of an attempt to cover up what really happened. The source added that the police constables on duty did not raise an alarm immediately after the suspects had escaped, and that they were armed but did not fire.

Limuru Sub-County Police Commander Mary Njoki confirmed that the officers who were on duty during the escape are still at work, but that investigations into the jailbreak are ongoing. Njoki said that the matter is complex and did not want to discuss it further. The three officers on duty that night claimed that they were cornered and complained of pain.

The investigations into the matter are further complicated by the fact that Limuru police station lacks CCTV cameras, making it difficult for investigators to conclusively analyze the circumstances of the escape. This incident rekindles memories of similar cases, including the escape of Kevin Kang'ethe, who was arrested under an Interpol Red Notice for murder and escaped from police custody in 2024.

One of the officers on duty on November 4 is no stranger to prisoner escapes under his watch. On October 16, the same police constable was one of two officers tasked with watching Geoffrey Otieno, a 26-year-old suspect who had been arrested for allegedly attempting to break into a shop. Otieno escaped from Kiambu Level 5 Hospital by cutting a window grill.

The escape of the five capital offenders has raised concerns about the security and integrity of police custody in Kenya. The incident highlights the need for improved security measures, including the installation of CCTV cameras, to prevent similar incidents in the future. The police officers involved in the escape are still at work, pending the outcome of the investigations.

Key points

• The five suspects who escaped from Limuru police station were accused of robbery with violence and gang rape.
• The escape was facilitated by rogue police officers who are still at work pending investigations.
• The incident highlights the need for improved security measures in police custody to prevent similar incidents in the future.