Police search for criminal who escaped jail

By RENSON MNYAMWEZI

A prisoner at Wundanyi GK Prison in Taita-Taveta County escaped in unclear circumstances.

A prison officer said the inmate, who was serving a one-year jail term for stealing, escaped while working at a warder’s house.

Prison authorities, however, denied the claim.

“The prisoner was working in a house when he escaped. The escapee had been jailed recently,” said the prison officer.

The incident paralysed operations at the penal institution, as all the other prisoners were taken back to their cells as efforts to look for the escapee intensified.

Journalists who went to the facility were chased away by angry prison warders.

The officer in-charge of the prison Emanuel Odhiambo confirmed the incident, saying a manhunt for the suspect had been launched.

He asked members of the public to volunteer information that could help the authorities re-arrest the convict.

“We are still looking for the suspect and once we get him we’ll take him to court,” said Mr Odhiambo who is on leave. Speaking to The Standard the prison boss clarified that the prisoner was working in a farm at the time of his escape.

This is not the first time a prisoner has escaped at the facility.

Last year, another prisoner escaped and was later rearrested.