Hardcore criminals escape from Busia prison

FILE | NATION. Inmates and wardens at the Busia GK prison compete to fill a bucket of water during the celebrations to mark African correction day. Thirteen inmates escaped from the prison on Sunday night.

Thirteen criminals escaped from Busia GK Prison, near Kenya's border with Uganda, on Sunday night during a heavy down pour.

The inmates, some condemned while others with cases still ongoing, are alleged to have broken the cell before fleeing.

However, police managed to arrest one suspect at Kisoko trading centre while the search for the remaining suspects is still on.

Busia GK Prison chief Charles Mwangangi declined to comment on the escape while Western prison boss Amos Misik said a statement will be issued by the Commissioner of Prisons Isaiah Osugo later.

Cases of inmates at the Busia GK Prison escaping have increased over the last two years with the total figure now standing at 24.

A month ago, five robberies with violence remandees who had been taken to Busia law courts for the hearing of their case escaped after breaking out of their cell.

Police discovered that the suspects were missing when their case came up for hearing.

Busia police boss Micheni Muthamia said that only two of the suspects that were arrested then with three others still at large.

Mr Muthamia said that police had intensified search for the suspects and asked the public to volunteer information that will lead to their re-arrest.

Two years ago, six remandees at the same prison who were being taken to court for hearing of their cases escaped after stabbing a police officer on the head with a sharp object but were later re-arrested.

The escaping of the suspects under the watch of the police comes less than four months after a terror suspect Hashi Hussein Farah managed to escape from custody at Busia Police Station under mysterious circumstances and under the watch of three police officers.