Collins Jumaisi, a man accused of murdering and dismembering 42 women, has escaped from a Nairobi police station on Tuesday. Jumaisi, described by police as a “vampire” and “psychopath”, was being held in custody pending trial.
According to reports, Jumaisi, who was awaiting his court plea hearing, escaped along with 12 other detainees, including Eritreans previously held on immigration violations, during breakfast rounds around 5:00 AM at the police station.
“On opening the cell door, they discovered that 13 prisoners had escaped by cutting the wire mesh in the basking bay,” Kenyan police said in a statement, referring to an area in the station where detainees could get access to fresh air.
Upon discovery, police officials, including the Sub-county Police Commander, launched immediate investigations to recapture Jumaisi and the other escapees.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations, headed by Mohamed Amin, had warned of Jumaisi’s potential threat to public safety when he was initially arrested.
“It is unfortunate this has happened but we are pursuing the matter for action,” he said.
Jumaisi had made headlines for his chilling confession about the murders, claiming his wife was the first victim. He originally confessed to 42 killings but later recanted, alleging police torture forced him to make those admissions.