Detectives launch manhunt after remandee escapes from Industrial Area Police Station

By , K24 Digital
On Sun, 31 Jul, 2022 17:12 | 2 mins read
Graphical representation showing how an inmate escaped from Industrial Area Remand Prison. PHOTO/Courtesy
Graphical representation showing how Erickson Khata escaped from Industrial Area Police Station on July 27, 2022. PHOTO/DCI/Twitter

Police are pursuing a remandee who staged a daring escape from Industrial Area Police Station on Wednesday, July 27.

In a statement, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Erickson Khata, 19, escaped from custody in the wee hours of Wednesday morning after being escorted outside his cell to take a bath.

Graphical representation showing how  Erickson Khata escaped from Industrial Area Police Station on July 27, 2022. PHOTO/DCI/Twitter
Graphical representation showing how Erickson Khata escaped from Industrial Area Police Station on July 27, 2022. PHOTO/DCI/Twitter

Apparently, the remandee disappeared without a trace as the officer, who was guarding him, attended to other duties during the 5:00 am incident.

Khata had been arrested and arraigned at Makadara Law courts on July 19, 2022, over alleged defilement.

"Earlier that morning, Khata had requested to be allowed to take a bath and an officer manning the report office had escorted him to fetch water and take his bath.

"But no sooner had the officer given the prisoner some privacy than the 19-year-old escaped in his inner wear leaving the rest of his clothes behind," DCI said.

The duty officer became suspicious that all was not well when the pitter-patter of splashing water suddenly stopped.

"When he went to check, he was confronted by a half-full basin of lathered water, a piece of kipande soap and the prisoner’s clothes. The remandee was nowhere to be seen," DCI added.

Detectives believe the suspect scaled the walls of the police station before disappearing into thin air.

Transferred to Industrial Area Police Station

DCI disclosed that the accused escaped from custody days after being transferred from the Nairobi Remand & Allocation Maximum Security Prison.

He is said to have complained that he was a minor before the courts ordered the police to transfer him to Industrial Area Police Station after assessment of his age.

"On July 26, he was escorted to Mbagathi hospital where the relevant tests were conducted and his apparent age ascertained to be 19 years.," police said.

The matter was to be mentioned in court on the day of his mysterious disappearance.