Inmate flees four months to the end of his jail term

An inmate held at Hola Prison for close to four years escaped from custody after duping a guard assigned to him. The inmate, Ramadhan Gemu was tending to goats and sheep at Kalaule Farm under the supervision of a prison warder when he escaped.

Reports show the inmate had demonstrated good behaviour winning the trust of the prison officials.

According to the deputy prison officer in charge Charles Ochieng', the suspect was to leave prison on September 15, this year after completing his term.
By yesterday, the suspect had not been found.  According to Ochieng', the prisoner is married and police are following leads which point that he could be with his family.
"We trusted this prisoner and he was a good man. He was just remaining with a few months before he completes his term. He really behaved well while in prison and that is why we believed he had reformed," he told The Standard on Saturday.

Asked what could have motivated Ramadhan to escape yet he only had a few months to serve, Ochieng' said he had no idea.

Prison authorities also denied reports that the man could have escaped because he was being molested and tortured by some inmates. The officer who was guarding Ramadhan when he fled has not been named.
Barely a year ago, another prisoner made a daring escape while working at the same farm and his whereabouts are still unknown.

A manhunt has been launched as police explore a possibility that the escapee, who fled in prison clothes, had local accomplices.

He said security has been beefed up and search is going on in key areas.

''We have extended our search to all villages in Hola town and are checking all trucks plying Hola- Mombasa route,'' Ochieng' said at his office yesterday.