How did COVID-19-positive handcuffed suspect escape from hospital manned by 4 policemen?

Mystery surrounds the escape of a COVID-19 patient from Nandi Hills Sub-County Hospital.

The patient, who had been arrested for robbery with violence, was tested for COVID-19 while in lawful custody at Tinderet Police Station, and 24 hours later, results indicated he was a carrier of the dreaded virus.

The suspect was scheduled to appear in Kapsabet Law Courts Wednesday morning (July 1), but his arraignment was postponed after results showed he had coronavirus disease.

Consequently, he was taken to an isolation facility at the Nandi Hills Sub-County Hospital, where he escaped from in unclear circumstances on Wednesday night (July 1).

The isolation facility, where the suspect had been admitted, was being manned by four police officers.

What remains a mystery, is how the middle-aged suspect managed to break the handcuffs on him and fled without anyone, including the policemen stationed at the entry and exit points at the isolation centre, witnessing the escape.

Tinderet locals now fear the suspect, whose destination remains unknown, could infect unsuspecting residents.

Nandi Hills East OCPD David Nyabuto told K24 Digital that they have launched a hunt for the suspect.

“We’ll do everything possible to re-arrest him because he poses a health risk to Tinderet residents, and Kenyans at large. We understand that the suspect broke the handcuffs on him and escaped through one of the isolation facility’s windows. Most likely he used a route that wasn’t manned by the police officers,” said Nyabuto.