Jail Break: Nine in daring escape from Bomet police cells

Bomet County Police headquarters

Bomet County Police headquarters. The suspects' escape went undetected by two police officers who were on duty. 

Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group

In what is being seen as a daring and well-planned plot, nine suspects managed to escape police custody at the crack of dawn on Sunday.

The break, which caught officers at Bomet police station off-guard, saw the suspects, including four juveniles, saw off metal grills to create a hole big enough for them to squeeze through one-by-one to freedom.

The escape went undetected by two police officers – a female officer in charge of booking in suspects and a male officer deployed at the cells’ sentry.

It is only when the Officer Commanding Station (OCS), Mr Benjamin Kisela, popped into the station for routine checks early Monday morning that he discovered the suspects were missing. At this point, it is reported that his juniors had no clue that they were guarding an almost empty cell.

“The suspects escaped after sawing through metal grills at the back of the cells at around 4am on Sunday,” said Mr Musa Imamai the Bomet Central Sub-County Police Commander.

According to Mr Imamai, the escapees are Erick Bett and Victor Korir who were being held for possession of illicit brews, Dominic Cheruiyot, Titus Rotich and Clinton Nyakundi who were in custody over alleged theft.

It emerged that Bett and Korir were due to be charged before court on Monday after being found in possession of illicit brews at the weekend. 

The others had taken plea but a magistrate had directed that they be held at the station’s cells awaiting mention of the cases.

Two of the four juveniles who escaped faced charges of causing grievous bodily harm while two others had been booked in for stealing.