Cops grilled after six suspects escape from Siaya law courts

Some 13 police officers are under investigation following the escape of six high-risk criminal suspects from the Siaya law courts on Monday evening.

The circumstances surrounding the escape are unclear, police said.

The 13 had been detained for questioning but were later released on bail, police said, adding that their mobile phones were confiscated. 

The suspects had appeared in court on charges of robbery with violence.

However, they evaded officers and escaped while being escorted back to remand.

Siaya county police commander, Serah Koki, confirmed that all 13 officers who were on duty at the time of the incident, are under investigation.

The escapees remain at large and efforts to locate and re-arrest them are ongoing, Koki said. 

Such incidents have been frequent amid an ongoing investigation into possible collusion.

In February, a terror suspect escaped from a police cell in unclear circumstances at Elwak police station, Mandera county.

The suspect had been detained at the station since February 9, following his arrest on suspicion of terror links, police reported.

He was produced in court and an order was issued for his detention at the station pending investigation and arraignment. 

Police said he escaped from their cell in unclear circumstances on February 14.

An officer who went to collect him for questioning found he was missing.

The two officers who were on duty when the incident occurred were arrested after it emerged that there was no break-in at the cells, leading to the suspicion that the suspect was allowed to leave.

Fourteen suspects escaped from custody in Wundanyi Prisons and Bomet and Moiben police stations.

On January 26, eight of the suspects escaped from Wundanyi Prison in the morning after cutting through the iron sheets of the roof and escaped unnoticed.

Five of them have since been re-arrested.

In the past two years, close to 250 suspects, most of whom were accused of serious offences – have escaped from custody across the country, according to police.

Police officers handling suspects known to be of particular criminal importance or influence are expected to take special precautions if such suspects are likely to attempt escape.

These precautions may include the issuance of specific orders regarding the procedure for their detention, guarding and visitation.