Six remandees stage night prison break

By TITUS TOO

Six remand prisoners, among them, four capital offence suspects, escaped from the Eldoret GK Prisons on Wednesday night.

The remandees made the dramatic escape by going through the ceiling and drilling a hole in one of the prison blocks.

Uasin Gishu Deputy OCPD Benjamin Onsongo said officers manning the facility discovered the prison break at 8pm on the same day.

Sources at the GK facility told The Standard the disappearance of the six was discovered when wardens were carrying out routine checks at one of the blocks housing remandees.

"Four of the suspects are facing charges of capital offences while two are charged with theft," said Onsongo.

Following the incident, Onsongo said a hunt has been launched for the suspects, adding that capital offenders could not be allowed to roam free because they are a threat to security.

"A search for the six has been mounted and we are appealing to members of the public to volunteer any information that may lead to their arrests," said Onsongo.

This comes about two months after another prison break at the facility. During the incident, a TV cameraman sustained finger injuries and his camera was shattered as he covered prison warders re-arresting the escapees.

Quick response

Three inmates had then been reported to have escaped from the prison sparking quick response by prisons warders.

Two weeks ago, five suspects escaped as they were being taken to court in Embu. Two of the escapees were shot dead this week, while another robbery with violence suspect was rearrested and jailed for two years.

Police had earlier arrested one of the escapees, Richard Mbogo, at a roadblock in Chuka. He assisted the security officers to track down another suspect, Julius Kitonga.

He also gave information that would lead to the arrest of one of his accomplices, James Kariuki. Kitonga led the officers to Kariuki’s house in Ugweri area, Embu North District.

However, Kariuki spotted them as they approached his house and jumped out through the window in an attempt to escape arrest but police officers shot him dead before he could make another escape.

Witnesses said he had worn uniform resembling police combat gear and had a homemade gun.