Multi-agency teams are racing to re-arrest five of eight
suspects who escaped from the Wundanyi Main Prisons in Taita Taveta County.
Eight suspects had escaped from the facility but three of them
were on Sunday rearrested at the Godoma area in the Mwatate subcounty and have since been remanded at the Manyani Maximum
Security Prison in Voi, officials said.
Commissioner General of Prisons Patrick Aranduh sent a team from
Nairobi to the area to investigate the circumstances that led to the escape of
eight remand prisoners on Saturday night.
The investigations are focusing on officers who were on duty
that night.
Outgoing Coast regional police boss George Sedah said five
suspects are still at large.
He said efforts are being made to re-arrest them even as he
appealed for help for the recapture.
He urged locals to report any of the suspects who may be seen in their area.
“These are deemed dangerous suspects. We appeal to locals to help us recapture them,” he
said.
The suspects are said to have staged the escape after cutting
part of the roof of the prison cell.
Police and prison officials said the suspects cut the iron
sheets of the roof and used the opening to escape unheard.
The escape was noticed hours later as the prison warders on duty
conducted a routine check.
The suspects were in remand waiting for the hearing of their
cases, which were in various stages, officials said.
The personnel from Nairobi and the area recorded statements from
those who were on duty as part of efforts to establish circumstances surrounding
the escape.
Police and prison officials staged an operation in the area on
Monday.
Prisons officials said they had alerted authorities in areas
where the suspects come from to help in tracing and re-arresting them.
There are fears the suspects may harm witnesses or may be attacked in the villages.