NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 18 – Three terror convicts who escaped from Kamiti Maximum prison have been arrested in Kitui.
Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti says the three were arrested on Thursday morning by a team of detectives who have been tracking them.
“The convicts have been arrested,” Kinoti said of the three who had a Sh20 million bounty each on their head, “all the three who escaped from Kamiti prison.”
Mwingi East as they approached Ukasi. The suspects were arrested after detectives received a tip-off from locals and moved swiftly to arrest the trio. #FichuakwaDCI 0800722203 pic.twitter.com/sq7Nj1ooz5
— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) November 18, 2021
They include Mohamed Ali Abikar, Joseph Juma Odhiambo and Musharaf Abdalla Akhulunga who are reported to have dug a hole on the wall to escape the heavily-guarded facility on Monday.
All three have been charged with terrorism-related offences and one, Abikar, was serving 41 for involvement in an attack that left 148 people dead.
The escape of the convicts led to the sacking of top prisons boss Wycliffe Ogallo who was also arrested along with the head of Kamiti Maximum Security Prison and his deputy.
Ogallo was replaced by Brigadier (Rtd) John Kibaso Warioba in changes announced by State House, two days after the shocking jailbreak that sent panic across the country.
“The appointment follows the briefing to the Head of State from the Ministry responsible for Correctional Services regarding the security breaches at the Kamiti Maximum Security Prison that led to the escape of three inmates,” State House Spokesperson Kanze Dena said in a statement.
Two senior prisons officials and 7 warders were in court Thursday for charges related to the escape.