Kenyan police are offering a cash reward for any information that leads to the arrest of Collins Jumaisi, a suspected serial killer who escaped from a police cell in Nairobi earlier this week.
Jumaisi, described by police as a “vampire, a psychopath,” was arrested last month after the gruesome discovery of mutilated female bodies in a rubbish dump in the Mukuru slum area of Nairobi.
The 33-year-old suspect is accused of murdering and dismembering dozens of women over a two-year period, starting in 2022.
According to the police, Jumaisi has confessed to killing 42 women, with his wife being his first victim.
However, Jumaisi has claimed that he was tortured after his arrest.
On Tuesday, police launched a manhunt after Jumaisi and 12 Eritreans managed to break out of a police station in an upmarket area of Nairobi.
Officers reported that the men escaped by cutting through a wire mesh roof and then scaling a perimeter wall.
“A significant cash reward will be provided to anyone with credible information leading to the suspect’s arrest,” stated the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, though they did not specify the exact amount.
The escape has sparked outrage across Kenya, especially given that this is the second time in less than six months that a suspect in a high-profile case has managed to escape from custody in Nairobi.
The grisly nature of the murders has horrified many, particularly since the bodies were found just 100 meters from a police station.
In response to the situation, Kenya’s police watchdog, the Independent Police Oversight Authority, announced that it is investigating whether there was any police involvement or a “failure to act to prevent” the killings.
Five police officers appeared in court on Wednesday, suspected of aiding Jumaisi’s escape.
They were released on a 200,000 Kenyan shilling ($1,500) bond, despite prosecutors requesting that they be kept in custody for 14 days.
Kenyan police have often been accused by human rights groups of carrying out unlawful killings or operating hit squads, but few officers have faced justice.
The escape of Jumaisi has only intensified the scrutiny on the police force, with the public demanding answers and justice for the victims.
