12 cops grilled after six suspects escape from Siaya Law Court 

At least 12 police officers were detained for interrogation following the escape of six crime suspects from the Siaya Law Courts on Monday evening.

Police said the circumstances surrounding the escape are not clear.

The suspects, Fredrick Wafula, John Ngote, Farid Kimtai, John Okumu, Albert Otieno, and Kevin Otieno had appeared before the court on robbery with violence charges.

However, they managed to evade officers and escape as they were being escorted back to remand.

Siaya County Police Commander, Serah Koki, confirmed that all 12 officers who were on duty at the time of the incident are being questioned.

She further stated that the escaped suspects remain at large, and efforts are underway to locate and re-arrest them.

Such incidents have been rampant amid ongoing probe of possible collusion.

In February 2025, a terror suspect escaped from a police cell in unclear circumstances at Elwak police station, Mandera County.

Muse Muhumed Abdule had been detained at the station since February 9 when he was arrested in the area over terror links, police said.

He was produced in court and an order issued to detain him at the station pending probe and further arraignment.

His policies said he managed to escape from their cell in unclear circumstances.

The escape happened on February 14 morning.

A police officer who had gone to pick him for grilling found he was missing.

Police said two police officers who were on duty when the incident happened were arrested for investigations.

This is after it emerged there was no break in at the cells and it is suspected the suspect was allowed to leave.

In the last two years, almost 250 suspects, most of them accused of serious offences, have escaped from custody across the country, police say.

Generally, officers handling suspects known to be criminals of particular importance or evil influence are expected to take special precautions if such suspects can be expected to make a determined effort to escape.

The precautions may include issuance of special orders regarding the procedure to be adopted in respect to how they should be detained, guarded or visited.

Barely a fortnight ago, at least fourteen, including hard core criminals escaped from custody in Wundayi Prisons, and Bomet and Moiben police stations.

On January 26, eight of the suspects escaped from Wundanyi prisons in the morning after they cut the iron sheets of the roof and used the opening to escape unnoticed.

The escape was noticed hours later as the Prisons Warders on duty conducted a routine check, Prisons authorities said.

The suspects were in remand waiting for the hearing of their cases, which were in various stages, officials said.

Five of them have since been rearrested.

The same night, another suspect Joash Cheruiyot who had been detained at Cheseon police station, Bomet Central Sub-County also escaped through the roof of the cells.

The suspect, who was alone in the cells, had been arrested after he was accused of burglary and stealing. Constable Michael Riungu who was on duty said the suspect escaped at around 7pm when he had gone to order food for him.

He was supposed to appear before Bomet Law Courts on January 27.

A similar escape was reported the same day at Moiben police station where five other suspects escaped.

“Please be informed that five prisoners who were held up at Moiben police station police cells escaped from lawful police custody by gaining through door cells which were not securely locked by a padlock,” police said.