Kamiti escapees: We will pay Sh60m reward to the last coin, police now say

The three terror convicts who escaped from Kamiti Maximum Prison after being arrested in Mwingi, Kitui County on November 18, 2021. [Courtesy, Standard]

The National Police Service has said the government will honour its pledge on the cash reward offer to the people who helped in the recapture of the three terror convicts who had escaped from Kamiti Maximum Prison.

In a statement from the office of the Inspector General, police spokesperson Bruno Shioso said those to be rewarded will be subjected to a verification process to ensure the reward goes to deserving recipients.

On Monday, November 17, 2021, the government announced a cash reward of Sh20 million for information that would lead to the recapture of each escapee.

"The government acknowledges that the rearrests of the suspects were made possible with the support from members of the public. Indeed, the accounts of several people who separately claim to have played a role in the capture have been reported extensively in the media," read the statement.

The statement noted that the security nature of the incident and the risk of harm to those who genuinely aided the capture of the high-value trio may militate against full public disclosure of the eventual beneficiaries of the cash award.

"Finally, subsequent investigation following the recapture of the convicted escapees is progressing well. Crucial leads have so far been collected from the scene of the arrest and undergoing forensic analysis," said the police statement.