Warder attacked, seriously wounded in prison break attempt

BY MOSES NYAMORI

Eldoret, Kenya: A convict at Ngeria prison in Uasin Gishu County on Wednesday left a prison warden nursing serious injuries after he hit him on the head using a hoe in an attempt to escape.

The prisoner, together with other inmates, had been taken out of the facility to work at a farm belonging to the prison when he hit the unsuspecting officer from behind.

The officer was hit to the ground and it took quick intervention by his colleagues to save him from further assault and later subdued the prisoner.

They handcuffed the prisoner and handed him over to the nearby Kiambaa Police Station.

“The inmates were out attending to crops belonging to the prison when the incident occurred. The suspect used his hoe to hit at the officer who sustained serious injuries on his head and neck,” said Barnabas Kaino, the Officer In charge of the prison.

He said the 23-year-old prisoner Emmanuel Limo and three other inmates wanted to create confusion at the facility so that they could get an opportunity to escape.

“After interrogating the inmate, we have learnt that he and three other prisoners had hatched a plan and wanted to create a situation in order to escape,” he said.

The officer revealed that the four were initially at Kapsabet prison before they were transferred to Ngeria over attempts to escape.

“This is not their first time to attempt escape from prison. They were transferred here where there is tight security,” he added.

The prisoner was convicted for shop breaking and sentenced to four years in prison which he started serving on April 11 this year.

The assaulted officer was taken to hospital and has since been discharged although he is still under medication.