Kenyan police have announced a $1,500 reward for information leading to the capture of Collins Jumaisi, a suspected serial killer who escaped from a Nairobi police cell on Tuesday. Jumaisi, who has been dubbed a “vampire” by authorities, is accused of murdering and dismembering 42 women over a two-year period. He broke out of a police station in an upscale area of the capital, alongside 12 Eritreans.
Jumaisi was arrested last month after police discovered mutilated female bodies in a rubbish dump in Nairobi’s Mukuru slum. Among his victims was his wife, who was reportedly his first kill. Despite his confession to the murders, Jumaisi claims he was tortured during his detention.
Five police officers have been implicated in his escape, but they were released on bond after a court hearing on Wednesday, despite prosecutors’ attempts to keep them in custody. The officers allegedly helped Jumaisi and the others escape by cutting through a wire mesh roof and scaling a perimeter wall.
The escape has sparked outrage in Kenya, particularly as it comes just months after another high-profile suspect escaped custody in Nairobi. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has urged the public to come forward with credible information, promising a significant cash reward for Jumaisi’s recapture. Meanwhile, Kenya’s police watchdog, the Independent Police Oversight Authority, is investigating possible police involvement or negligence in both the killings and the escape.
This case has intensified scrutiny on Kenyan police, who are frequently accused of misconduct and extrajudicial killings, yet rarely face accountability.
