The high-stakes drama surrounding the escape of prime Mukuru murder suspect Collins Jumaisi escalated on Tuesday afternoon as senior police officers descended on Gigiri Police Station to assess the situation. Jumaisi, along with 12 Eritrean nationals, made a daring escape from the station earlier that morning, prompting swift action from Kenya’s top police leadership.
Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli led a team of senior officers, including Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin and Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, on a site visit to Gigiri. Their immediate priority: inspect the now-infamous cell from which the suspects fled and evaluate how such a massive breach of security could have occurred.
Crime Scene Inspection and Police Meetings
Upon arrival, the officers wasted no time marking Gigiri Police Station as a crime scene. The top brass carefully inspected the cell area, where the 13 suspects had been detained, including Jumaisi—the man accused of perpetrating the gruesome Mukuru murders that left dozens dead. After the inspection, the senior police officers huddled with Gigiri Station officials, seeking answers as to how such a high-profile suspect managed to evade custody.
The police bosses also held discussions with the officers who were on duty at the time of the escape, grilling them on the night’s events. According to sources, the escape went unnoticed until the morning when officers were serving tea to the detainees, only to realize that the suspects had vanished during the night.
A Security Nightmare
Collins Jumaisi, the prime suspect in the Kware murders, is considered one of Kenya’s most dangerous serial killers. His arrest in July came after police unearthed dozens of bodies at a dumpsite in Mukuru, with Jumaisi linked to at least 42 brutal killings. The suspect had been detained following a court ruling by Principal Magistrate Irine Gichobi at the Makadara courts, who had extended his stay at Gigiri Police Station for seven more days to allow for further investigations.
Now, with his escape, panic has gripped Nairobi and the surrounding communities, particularly the Mukuru slums, where fear of Jumaisi's return lingers heavily.
The 12 other escapees, all Eritrean nationals, had also been presented before the Makadara courts alongside Jumaisi. Police have now launched an intensive search to recapture the fugitives, but questions remain about how such a glaring lapse in security could have taken place at one of Nairobi’s central police stations.
Next Steps
As the investigation unfolds, police leadership will undoubtedly face mounting pressure to bring Jumaisi and the 12 Eritrean nationals back into custody. The Gigiri Police Station has been marked as a crime scene, with detectives combing through evidence to determine exactly how the suspects executed their escape.
For now, the focus is on recapturing the fugitives, but the escape has already sparked serious concerns about the effectiveness of the country’s detention and security systems, especially when handling dangerous criminals.
