Missing inmate search intensifies

35 year-old Peter Kamau Ndungu at Naivasha G.K prison where he was serving life sentence. He escaped while taking an exam at University of Nairobi (UoN). (Photo: Antony Gitonga/Standard)

The search for the inmate who escaped from Naivasha GK Prison has been extended to neighbouring countries.

This came as details emerged that Peter Kamau Ndungu's escape had adversely affected the education programme in the penal institution.

Officers from the prison were investigating if Ndungu could have fled to Uganda or Rwanda after escaping from the University of Nairobi where he was sitting for his exams.

The 35-year-old third-year Bachelor of Commerce student escaped from the custody of two prison guards who had escorted him to sit examinations at the University of Nairobi on Wednesday last week.

The robbery with violence convict hit the headlines when he became the first inmate in the country's penal institutions to pass the highest stage of accounts, CPA III section VI, in a record three years.

By the time he escaped, the prisoner was taking a distance course and would only go to the university for exams.

A senior officer at the prison told The Standard that Kamau, who had served over 15 years, was a role model and his escape had left many in shock.

"The move to sponsor the inmate at the university was in good faith and part of the prison reforms. We are still in shock over the escape," said the officer who asked not to be named as he is not authorised to speak on behalf of the institution.

Another source at the prison said the inmate was escorted to the university for his end of year exams as was the norm.

"Every semester, he is escorted to the university to take his exams and later driven back to the prison to continue with his sentence," said the source.

Fruitless efforts

The source, another officer at the Naivasha prison, said on Wednesday, the warders guarding the inmate were left in shock after the other students left the exam room but Kamau was no where to be seen.

The officer said efforts to trace him had been fruitless but the search continues.

"Kamau was one of the brightest inmates and he must have lost hope of being pardoned after years of waiting," said the source.

Patrick Mwenda, the officer-in-charge of the prison, told of his disappointment in the inmate who had turned into a role model for many prisoners and warders.

"We are trying to collect more information from the university but the inmate is still missing," he said.

Kamau was sentenced to death by the High Court sitting in Nyeri in 2000 at 21 for a robbery committed in his Murang'a home in 1999.