Police in Kenya launched a major security operation on Tuesday August 20 after a suspected serial killer and 12 others fled from a police station in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. A manhunt has been underway since the morning.
This is the second time in less than six months that a suspect in a major case has managed to escape while in custody.
Authorities speak of a psychopathic serial killer or even a vampire. Collins Jumaisi, 33, has confessed to murdering 42 women since 2022, starting with his wife.
In mid-July 2024, the mutilated bodies of a dozen women, encased in plastic bags, were found in an abandoned rubbish dump in southern Nairobi. Three days later, the presumed killer was arrested in a bar in the city and has since been held at the police station, pending the conclusion of the investigation.
The escape of Collins Jumaisi and 12 illegal Eritrean immigrants was discovered during a routine breakfast service.
According to the police, the escape was facilitated by collusion, as officers were deployed en masse to guard the station. Eight police officers on night duty were taken into custody and an investigation launched. “Anyone found guilty will face the law,” said the acting police chief. The escape comes against a backdrop of pressure on the security forces following the deaths in June of dozens of people during protests against the government’s proposed tax hikes. It is also the second time in less than six months that a suspect has managed to escape while in custody.