SAMBURU, Kenya, Nov 6 – Police in Wamba, Samburu County, have launched a manhunt for five suspects who escaped from custody early Wednesday night under unclear circumstances.
According to a police report, the escape occurred at Wamba Police Station, where the suspects were being held on various charges.
Police said one inmate shouted that a fellow prisoner had collapsed inside a cell that was holding fifteen suspects.
When the report office personnel opened the cell door to check, the inmates overpowered him, forcefully pushing the door open, knocking him down, and fleeing in different directions.
“As a result, the officer sustained soft tissue injuries on the right side of the head, hand, and knee,” the report stated.
Another officer, who was returning his firearm to the armoury, reportedly fired two rounds from his AK-47 rifle in an attempt to stop the escape, but the suspects managed to evade capture.
The fugitives have been identified as Lengida Lekila, Joseph Lokolol, and Lunchan Lesamana, all charged with robbery with violence, and Jackson Lesurmati, who faced charges of illegal possession of ammunition.
Police have since mounted a manhunt to trace and re-arrest the escapees.
“We have deployed a multi-agency team to pursue the escapees. We urge members of the public to provide any information that may assist in their arrest,” the report stated..
Preliminary investigations suggest the suspects may have broken the cell door using improvised tools, though police have not ruled out the possibility of internal collusion.
Authorities have since launched an internal probe into how the suspects managed to flee from the station without being detected.
The Wamba incident adds to a series of jailbreaks reported in various parts of the country in recent months, raising concerns over the state of security in police holding facilities.
