Robbery with violence suspect who escaped from Thika court cells recants guilty plea
Central Region Police Boss Larry Kieng (left) speaks to journalists at the Thika Law Courts on October 12, 2016 after assessing damages caused by five robbery with violence suspects who escaped from courts cells on Tuesday evening. He said police had re-arrested on of them and were still looking for the rest. PHOTO | MARY WAMBUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The five had earlier appeared in court for the mention and hearing of their robbery with violence cases.
- Central Region Police Boss Larry Kieng said the five cut a window grill and escaped unnoticed.
- Police officers were preparing to return the five back to their cells only to find them missing.
- Kieng recommended that CCTV cameras be installed in the courtrooms as a security measure.
A robbery with violence suspect has been remanded in police custody after recanting his earlier guilty plea of charges of attempted escape from lawful custody at the Thika magistrates’ courts.
When Paul Chege was called to take plea on Wednesday morning, he pleaded guilty before Senior Principal Magistrate Clarice Omondi who ordered that the matter be put aside for mention in the afternoon.
But Chege later denied the charges of attempting to escape from lawful custody.
Chege attempted to escape from the Thika court cells on Tuesday evening together with four of his accomplices, Reuben Chege, Bernard Mwangi, Charles Wambua and Joseph Muchiri, who had earlier appeared in court for the mention and hearing of their robbery with violence cases.
Sources say the five used a master key to get out of their cell before cutting a window grill to gain access to one of the courts where they managed to walk out freely without raising any suspicion.
Paul Chege, on of the robbery with violence suspects who had escaped from court cells in Thika on Tuesday evening. He was later arrested and charged. PHOTO | MARY WAMBUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
ESCAPED UNNOTICED
Addressing journalists in Thika, Central Region Police Commander Larry Kieng said the five were being held in the court cells waiting to be ferried back to their respective stations at around 4pm Tuesday evening when the incident happened.
"Officers were preparing to get the five back to their cells only to find them missing.
“They climbed up a wall leading to one of the courts, cut a window grill, forced their way into the courtroom through one side of the window and walked out freely," said Mr Kieng.
He added that the police did not notice the anything amiss but only found out that the five were missing when they went to pick them from the court cells.
"The police immediately launched a manhunt for the five, searching for them in all the places they suspected they could have gone to and luckily managed to apprehend one Paul Chege who is helping with investigations," said Mr Kieng.
Officers, led by Central Region Police Boss Larry Kieng, inspect the window at the Thika Law Courts through which five robbery with violence suspects escaped. PHOTO | MARY WAMBUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
FOUR STILL MISSING
He added that the police are looking for the remaining four whom they suspect fled to the neighbouring towns of Juja, Ruiru or Kiambu.
Police are also investigating reports that the suspects were in possession of a mobile phone.
Mr Kieng said the identities of the escapees will be made public to enable members of the public easily identify them with the hope of tracking them soon.
He dismissed reports by a section of media that alleged that one of the four was a terror suspect.
"All of them were facing robbery with violence charges. One committed the offence in Gatanga and the rest in Juja and Ruiru towns," he said.
He added that officers found to have assisted the suspects escape from the cells will face the full force of the law.
He called on the court's administration to immediately repair the broken grill to prevent a repeat of the incident and also recommended that CCTV cameras be installed in the courtrooms as a security measure.
