A prisoner escaped custody on Wednesday while attending to duties outside Kitui prison premises, sparking a dramatic manhunt across the county.
A prison officer, who spoke to Channel 15 News on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to address the media, confirmed the incident. According to the officer, the inmate slipped away in unclear circumstances and efforts are underway to re-arrest him.
In a surprising twist, an eyewitness told Channel 15 News she encountered the fugitive shortly after the escape. “He was running with only his pants, and he had wrapped the official prison uniform on his hands,” the woman recounted, insisting her identity be withheld for safety reasons.
Prison authorities remained tight-lipped when pressed for details
By press time, Channel 15 News was unable to reach local prison authorities for a direct comment on the matter.
This incident adds to a troubling pattern of custody breaches in Kenya. In August 2024, a suspected serial killer and 12 other detainees escaped from Nairobi’s Gigiri Police Station, with investigators later pointing to possible collusion by officers. Earlier the same year, Kevin Kangethe, a U.S. fugitive wanted for murder, also slipped out of police custody before being recaptured; several officers were suspended in connection with the escape.
Kitui itself has previously featured in Kenya’s prison escape history. In 2021, three inmates who had staged a daring breakout from Kamiti Maximum Security Prison were tracked down and arrested in a remote Kitui village after an intense multi-agency manhunt.
Human rights groups and security analysts have consistently raised concerns about the frequency of escapes from police and prison facilities, often citing understaffing, lax supervision, and in some cases, suspected inside assistance.
Authorities are now urging members of the public to report any suspicious sightings of the escaped inmate to the nearest police station or through national emergency hotlines
