By Andrew Kariuki
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has secured the conviction of three officers from Kamiti Maximum Security Prison for their role in facilitating the escape of terrorist inmates in 2021.
Delivering his judgment at the Kahawa Law Courts, Senior Principal Magistrate Boaz Ombewa held that the escape was clearly well planned and took a considerable period to execute, pointing to deliberate acts and omissions by the convicted officers.
The court convicted Robert Kipkirui Soi, Kaikai Talengo Moses and Willy Wambua on various counts including neglect of official duty, aiding the escape of prisoners and organizing a meeting in support of a terrorist group.
The prosecution, led by Principal Prosecution Counsels James Machirah and Kennedy Amwayi, called 14 witnesses.
The court found that the evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that the officers aided the escape of Musharaf Abdala, also known by several aliases including Shukri, Sharif, Alex Shikanda and Rashid Swaitar, alongside Mohamed Ali Abikar and Joseph Juma Odhiambo.
The three inmates escaped on the night of 14 November 2021 and the morning of 15 November 2021 from GK Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, located in Kasarani Sub-County, Nairobi City County.
All the escapees were serving sentences for terrorism-related offences at the time.
In its findings, the court held that on the material night, Soi and Talengo, while acting as Kenya Prisons Service officers, jointly and wilfully neglected their official duty by failing to prevent the escape of the convicted terrorists.
Wambua was separately convicted of aiding the prison escape and organizing a meeting in support of a terrorist group.
The court found that on or before 15 November 2021, he directly or indirectly facilitated the escape and organized a meeting between four convicted terror inmates at Condemned Block “A”, Cell No. 6, by enabling the movement of Abdul Majid Yassin from Cell No. 2 to the said cell, contrary to the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The matter is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on 20 January 2026, when the court will determine the appropriate punishment for the convicted officers.
