How Kamiti fugitives blew their cover

Hunger, thirst and loss of direction in a Kitui wilderness forced three terror convicts who escaped from Kamiti Maximum Prison to blow their cover, the Nation can reveal.

Since their jailbreak on Sunday, everything had gone well in the escape script crafted by Musharaf Abdalla Akhulunga, aka Zarkawi, aka Alex, aka Shukri; Mohamed Ali Abikar and Joseph Juma Odhiambo, aka Yusuf.

From Kamiti in Kiambu County, they had managed to cross the expansive Machakos County into Kitui and were well on their way to Boni Forest in Lamu County and eventually cross into lawless Somalia, their terror safe haven.

In fact, when they broke out of Kamiti on Sunday evening, they travelled and managed to get to Kitui the same night, investigations by the Nation reveal. 

Casually walked into town

On the first day of their short-lived freedom, the trio are said to have casually walked into town undetected, finding their way to Kunda Kindu bus station in Kitui central business district. 

On Monday noon, they boarded a matatu christened Changamsha plying the Zombe–Endau–Malalani route from Kitui town, and told the conductors that they were heading to Malalani market, the matatu’s final destination. 

Malalani is about 100 kilometres East of Kitui town, in Kitui East Constituency, near the border of Tana River County. It borders South Kitui Game Reserve, which has been a hideout for terror cells.

Upon arrival at Malalani in the evening, they had supper at the market without raising any suspicion and walked away to an unknown hideout. 

The following day, the fugitives appeared at the same market in the evening, where they did some shopping as they asked for directions to Garissa or Boni Forest in Lamu County. 

Residents said the three — who looked exhausted, unkempt and thirsty— bought a lot of milk, bottled water, bread and biscuits from local shops and paid by cash.

One of the escapees had swollen legs and was limping, perhaps as a result of trekking long distances.

“They appeared confused and lost, unaware of the geography around them. They were asking how they could connect to the Garissa or Tana River counties from the area,” said a trader at the market who spoke to the Nation on condition that he was not named for security reasons.

Read: Police arrest prisons boss Ogallo, Kamiti head after jailbreak

Instant suspicion

The mention of Boni Forest to residents triggered instant suspicion.

“It was dark but you could see the strangers were looking confused, worried and in some hurry as they asked for directions to Boni Forest. They bought their foodstuffs and fled back to the bush,” the trader explained. 

Later, they were spotted at the same market after emerging from the nearby bush but immediately fled into darkness.

Their sighting threw the sleepy shopping centre into panic as shopkeepers who wanted to arrest them and cash in on the Sh60 million bounty on their heads, feared that the terrorists were armed.

But unknown to the escapees, they had already blown their cover because residents immediately notified the police that three suspicious characters, who resembled the ones being hunted, had been spotted. 

Efforts to trace them on Wednesday proved futile as they disappeared into the vast jungle.  

It later emerged that, during the day, they probably were hiding in the bush while trekking at night to avoid being caught, but they lost their initial escape route that would have taken them directly to Hola town in Tana River County.

Managing to get to Malalani, about 300 kilometers from Kamiti, they had almost achieved their escape plan. 

However, they ran out of luck after being cornered by security agents after residents reported seeing them at Malalani market in Endau location, some 100 kilometers East of Kitui town. 

Yesterday morning, they emerged from the bush unaware that they were being pursued by security agencies and decided to change route, so they hired a boda boda rider who took them from Malalani to Wingemi near the Mwingi- Garissa road.

Upon reaching Wingemi area, they decided to trek for about 40 kilometres to get to Ukasi market, where they hoped to connect to Garissa and flee to Boni Forest en route to Somalia.

However, their plan was punctured after one of them developed swollen legs, forcing them to rest.

Read: Sack Matiang'i and Kibicho over Kamiti jailbreak, says Ruto

Massive manhunt

Meanwhile, a massive manhunt had been launched with all security agencies in the region— including chiefs and their assistants— being put on red alert. They combed the villages to prevent the terrorists from escaping.

Security sources confided to the Nation that all routes out of Kitui had been blocked. According to Kitui County Police Commander Leah Kithei, the fugitives were arrested in Mwingemi as they tried to find their way to the Mwingi-Garissa highway.

“When we finally caught up with them, one of them, Joseph Juma Odhiambo, was too tired to flee and he just surrendered without much struggle but the other two took off, prompting a chase that didn’t last long,” said a police reservist involved in the operation.

He said Odhiambo was found sleeping but the other two resisted arrest and were determined to flee but luckily, they were not armed and so overpowering them “was easy”.

Found with cash

A security source confided to the Nation that Odhiambo was found with Sh10,300 in cash, money they intended to use as transport to Boni Forest, which means they must have been assisted to get to Kitui town.

“Upon frisking them, we found the terrorists had some cash. They also had a few light clothes packed in a small gunny bag,” the source said.

They telephoned their security bosses who arranged to have the convicts collected from the bush and taken to Mwingi Police Station for onward handing over to the Anti-Terror Police Unit.

They were positively identified and later airlifted to Kamiti where Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, his ICT counterpart Joe Mucheru and other top security chiefs were waiting.

Their arrival at Kamiti saw security heightened around the facility, with prison wardens in anti-riot gear surrounding the compound.

The fugitives’ faces were masked and they were escorted out of the chopper by ATPU detectives in balaclavas. 

They were led to a waiting Land Rover that drove them into the prison under the watch of Dr Matiang’i, police boss Hillary Mutyambai, DCI chief George Kinoti and other officials.

Mr Mutyambai said the trio were sighted before they could cross over to Garissa.

“I would like to confirm to Kenyans that our manhunt has been able to get the three inmates within the border of Tana River and Mwingi, they were deep in the bush. Our assessment is that they were moving towards Garissa and maybe finally to cross to Somalia,” said Mr Mutyambai.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank Kenyans for the information they have shared, which has led to this success and I appeal that in the same spirit we stay alert and share what we get that is of security importance with the police.”

The three men will be charged afresh with escaping from lawful custody.

Read: Court delivers double blow to Kamiti Prison boss Mutembei

Additional report by Mary Wambui.