Police have launched investigations into the escape of a terror suspect from custody at Elwal police station in Mandera County. Muse Muhumed Abdule had been detained at the station since February 9 when he was arrested in the area over terror links, police said.

He was produced in court and an order issued to detain him at the station pending probe and further arraignment.

“Two officers who were on duty when the suspect escaped have been arrested. Preliminary investigations have revealed that there was no actual breaking out of the cells,” a senior detective said.

The escape was only discovered when a detective from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) went to pick the suspect from custody for further grilling.

Another attack

The escape happened just five days after eight hard-core criminals escaped when suspected Turkana bandits shot dead Marti Police station driver, Constable Humphrey Oroba at Charda area, along the Maralal -Baragoi -South Horr road in Samburu North sub-county. The bandits also stole the officer’s firearm, an AK47 rifle loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition during the attack.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the bandits wanted to steal the officers’ firearms and not to rescue the suspects.

The deceased driver and two other officers from Marti police station were escorting the eight remandees from Maralal GK Prison to Baragoi for a court session the following day, when they were attacked.

According to the National Police Service headquarters, two of the suspects were facing defilement cases, while three others had been charged with gang defilement. Marti police station deputy commander Inspector Robert Amuke said the officers were escorting the suspects for a mobile court session that was scheduled for Tuesday last week.

The joint team led by the Samburu North Sub-County Police Commander (SCPC), after combing the area, later found the two other officers, Nicholas Yegon and Kitasho Oloimaatha, unharmed and with their firearms.

In the last two years, almost 250 suspects, most of them accused of serious offences, have escaped from custody across the country. Three weeks ago, at least fourteen, including hard core criminals also escaped from custody in Wundayi prisons, and Bomet and Moiben police stations.