At least 14 suspects escaped from custody in Wundayi Prisons, Bomet and Moiben police stations on Sunday.

Eight of the suspects escaped from Wundanyi prisons on Sunday morning by cutting the iron sheets on the roof.

The escape was noticed hours later as the warders on duty conducted a routine check, prisons authorities said.

Among those who escaped were Erickson Mwachofi, 18, who is charged with rape; Alex Makezi, 30, charged with causing grievous harm, and Patrick Karisa, 28, charged with housebreaking.

Others include Edward Maighasho, 28, charged with defilement, Robert Muchugwa Mwawasi,19, facing sexual assault charges and Mwangemi Mwanyange, 22, charged with housebreaking, assault and resisting arrest.

Various stages

Prisons headquarters identified other suspects as Joseph Kalama, 39, charged with breaking into a building with an intention of committing a felony, house breaking and being in possession of government stores, and Samuel Onyango, 18, charged with gang rape.

The suspects were in remand waiting for the hearing of their cases, which were in various stages.

Prisons officials and police detectives have launched investigations into the escape and some of the officers who were on duty have already recorded their statements with a view to establishing what transpired.

“A major multi-agency operation has been launched to track down and rearrest the suspects. Authorities in areas where the suspects come from to help in tracing and re-arresting the suspects,” a prisons official said.

On Sunday night, another suspect Joash Cheruiyot who had been detained at Cheseon Police Station, Bomet Central Sub-County also escaped through the roof of the cells.

The suspect, who was alone in the cells, had been arrested after he was accused of burglary and stealing.

Constable Michael Riungu said the suspect escaped at around 7pm when he had gone to order food for him.

He was supposed to appear before Bomet Law Courts yesterday, Monday.

“While it was raining, the suspect pulled the three plywood before removing the iron sheet and then escaped. Efforts to trace and rea-arrest the suspect on course,” police said.

The National Police Service also reported that five other suspects escaped from Moiben Police Station, Uasin Gishu County, on Sunday night around 8.30pm. “Please be informed that five prisoners who were held up at Moiben Police Station escaped from lawful police custody by gaining through door cells which were not securely locked by a padlock,” a brief to police headquarters read.

Valuables stolen

The suspects, who were to appear at Moiben Law Courts, have been identified as Ian Koskei who had been charged with assault; Emmanuel Kipruto, Dominic Some, Stehen Kirwa and Edwin Kipchumba who were all accused of stealing.

In another case on January 21 Anthony Mugiira Mwiti also escaped from Nkubu Law courts where he had been arraigned. A special operation was conducted leading to his arrest the following day.

Elsewhere, a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer shot and arrested a robber during a botched robbery in Chepseon, Kericho County on Saturday.

Two of the robbers, one armed with a pistol and a machete, managed to escape from the scene leaving their vehicle behind.

The officer attached to Kitale Police Station was travelling from Kisumu to Nakuru in a private vehicle with five other passengers

Upon reaching Kericho, two passengers alighted and the driver picked another passenger at Brook Bond trading centre.

They proceeded with the journey and on reaching at Kapkatunga, the driver stopped.

He then got out of the vehicle and opened the boot and came back with a machete and a pistol which he handed to a passenger seated behind the driver’s seat.

“They ordered the other passengers to remove all their valuables. An officer who was seated at the back sensed danger and fired three bullets from his Cz pistol,” police brief states.

 It adds: “During the shoot out, two robbers including the driver escaped towards Kapkatunga tea plantation while one of the robbers namely Bromwel Peter Otieno who had a bullet wound on his left shoulder was arrested.”