Three Kamiti wardens convicted over terror convicts’ escape

Three wardens attached to GK Kamiti Maximum Security Prison have been convicted over their role in aiding the escape of convicted terrorists.

In a judgment delivered at the Kahawa Law Courts, Senior Principal Magistrate B.O. found the three culpable, saying their actions posed a grave threat to national security.

Robert Kipkurui Soi was fined Ksh.100,000, in default to serve six months’ imprisonment, while Kaikai Talengo Moses received a similar sentence. A third accused, Willy Wambua, was fined Ksh.200,000, or in default to serve one year in prison.

On a separate count of organising a meeting in support of a terrorist group, Wambua was further fined Ksh.800,000, in default to serve two years’ imprisonment.

According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) the three were convicted on multiple counts, including neglect of official duty, aiding prisoners to escape, and organising a meeting in support of a terrorist group.

“Prosecution demonstrated that on the night of November 14, 2021 and the morning of November 15, 2021, the convicts deliberately facilitated the escape of terror inmates,” stated ODPP.

Musharaf Abdala, who used multiple aliases, alongside Mohamed Ali Abikar and Joseph Juma Odhiambo, all of whom were serving sentences for terrorism-related offences,”

The wardens are said to have deliberately facilitated the escape of terror convicts Musharaf Abdala, who used multiple aliases, alongside Mohamed Ali Abikar and Joseph Juma Odhiambo. The three inmates were serving sentences for terrorism-related offences.

The court accepted the DPP’s case that Soi and Talengo wilfully neglected their official duties, creating conditions that enabled the escape.

In Wambua’s case, the court found that he went further by directly and indirectly aiding the escape and unlawfully organising a meeting between convicted terror inmates at the Condemned Block “A” by facilitating unauthorised inmate movement, contrary to the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2012.

In convicting the three, the court agreed with the prosecution that the escape was well planned and could not have occurred without insider assistance, concluding that the DPP had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.