Nairobi — A Nairobi court has freed five police officers blamed for aiding the escape of a suspected serial killer from custody.
Magistrate Martha Nazushi directed the five to execute a personal bond of Sh200,000 each to secure their release.
Additional, Nazushi directed the pfficers to provide a contact each to execute a Sh100,000 bond.
She made the decicion on Thursday following an application by the prosecution to allow the detention of the suspects for an additional fourteen days to aid a DCI-led investigation.
The magistrate said the Prosecution failed to present compelling grounds to warrant the continued detention of the officers asigned to Gigiri Police Stattion where Collins Jumaisi and twelve others escaped.
Police consider Juamaisi a prime suspect in a spate of murders in Nairobi's Kware area.
The magistarte dismissed the Public Prosecutor's case that the DCI were yet to retrieve surveillance footage for forensic investigations and that the five were yet to record their statements.
James Gachoka had told the court that the five -- Corporal Ronald Babo, and Constables Evans Kipkirui, Mollent Achieng, Zachary Nyabuto, and Gerald mutuku -- aided the escape of thirteen detainees including Jumaisi.
Significant cash reward
The development came even as Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) promised a "significant cash reward" in a quest to rearrest Jumaisi.
Jumaisi escaped from the Gigiri Police Station on August 20 under mysterious circumstances.
DCI announced Thursday that it was seeking information that could assist detectives to trace and rearrest Jumaisi.
Police intend to prefer charges against the suspect for the murder of forty-two women including his wife.
Police said Jumaisi, 33, had confessed to the killings the DCI described as "psychopathic".
The suspect is from Shiru Sub-location, Shaviringa Location, Hamisi Sub-county in Vihiga County.
DCI asked members of the public with information on the suspect's whereabouts to file confidential or ananymous reports through its hotline 0800722203 or the police hotlines 999, 911, and 112. Informers can also report at any police station countrywide.
Additional reporting by Bruhan Makong.
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