Hunt on as suspects escape from Muranga cell

Four accused persons broke a cell door and escaped through a court window in Murang’a County, calling into question the security of courts. One suspect was, however, re-arrested soon after the escape.

Among the fugitives is a man accused of defiling a minor, whose family had expressed fears that they may not be safe if the suspect is released even on bond.

“We don’t know the suspect’s next move as he can just storm our compound and kill us. He has been threatening us,” the victim’s mother said.

INTENSIFIED

Kandara police boss Wilson Kosgey said that one suspect, Mr Joshua Gichuhi Wanjiku, who was apprehended, has since been charged with trying to escape.

The search for the three at large has been intensified, Mr Kosgey said.

The fugitives are John Njoroge Ndichu, 27, Nicholas Mbau Mwangi, 23, and Joseph Kamande Mwangi. They are facing defilement charges, creating disturbance and being in possession of bhang, respectively.

COMMOTION

Trouble started around 5.30pm on Monday when remandees from Murang’a and police from Thika were waiting for a lorry to ferry them back to the stations after court proceedings. The four yelled as they broke down the cell door to muffle the noise. But the police heard the commotion and entered the cells.

The remandees broke the door leading to the courtroom and escaped through the window. The cells and the court are next to each other.

PREDICAMENT

“The officers had to do all they could to restrain the 20 prisoners who were inside the court cell. They could not run after the four and leave the 20 who also wanted to escape,” Mr Kosgey told the Nation.

He said the police were at the gate awaiting a lorry to take the remandees back to the Thika Police Station after taking the first batch to Murang’a Police Station.

The incident raised questions about the security of court workers and magistrates whose offices are next to the cells.

“If an accused person can just escape from the court cell, don’t you think that exposes the life of the magistrate or court clerk? Many suspects blame the two for their predicament,” said a court official who sought anonymity.

NOT FENCED

He wondered where the police officers who are supposed to guard the remandees were as well as those tasked with manning the court premises.

Kandara Law Courts share an entrance with the Office of the Registrar of Persons, the Deputy County Commissioner and the Children’s Department.

The court’s compound is not fenced off and the remandees took advantage of the situation given that the police were at the entrance, which is 100m away from the cell.