Nairobi, Kenya – Kenyan police have announced a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of Collins Jumaisi, a suspected serial killer who escaped from a police cell in Nairobi on Tuesday. Jumaisi, described by authorities as a “vampire” and “psychopath,” is accused of murdering and dismembering dozens of women in a grisly spree that has shocked the nation.
The 33-year-old suspect was arrested last month after mutilated bodies of several women were discovered in a rubbish dump in the Mukuru slum area of Nairobi. Police allege that Jumaisi has confessed to killing 42 women over a two-year period, beginning in 2022, with his wife being his first victim. However, Jumaisi has claimed he was tortured following his arrest.
The escape, which took place in an upscale area of Nairobi, involved Jumaisi and 12 Eritrean nationals. According to police, the men managed to cut through a wire mesh roof before scaling a perimeter wall to make their getaway.
In response, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has initiated a manhunt for Jumaisi and has promised a “significant cash reward” for any credible information leading to his capture. The exact amount of the reward has not been disclosed.
The escape has sparked widespread outrage in Kenya, particularly given that it is the second time in six months that a suspect in a high-profile case has escaped from custody in Nairobi. The situation has also raised concerns about the involvement or negligence of the police, as the bodies of the murdered women were found just 100 meters from a police station.
Five officers who were on duty at the time of Jumaisi’s escape appeared in court on Wednesday, facing charges of aiding the suspect’s flight. They have been released on a 200,000 Kenyan shilling ($1,500) bond, despite prosecutors’ efforts to keep them in custody for 14 days.
The Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA), Kenya’s police watchdog, has announced an investigation into the possible complicity or failure of the police to prevent the killings. Kenyan police have long been accused by human rights groups of engaging in unlawful activities, including extrajudicial killings, but few officers have been held accountable.
The gruesome nature of the crimes and the audacity of Jumaisi’s escape have left many Kenyans horrified and demanding justice, as authorities work to recapture one of the most notorious criminal suspects in the country’s recent history.
