Eight police officers in Kenya have been suspended amid accusations of aiding the escape of Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, a suspected serial killer, from police custody. The case has sent shockwaves through the nation, further intensifying public scrutiny of the Kenyan police force, which has been repeatedly accused of human rights violations and misconduct.
The Escape
Khalusha, who was arrested in July 2024, had reportedly confessed to the gruesome murders of 42 women since 2022, including his own wife. However, on Tuesday, police announced that Khalusha and 12 other detainees had escaped from a police station where they were being held. According to an incident report, the detainees managed to cut through a wire mesh roof and scale a perimeter wall before vanishing into the night. The police discovered the escape during the routine serving of breakfast on Tuesday morning.
The escape has raised serious concerns about internal corruption within the police force, as authorities suggested that the fugitives had been “aided by insiders.” This allegation led to the immediate suspension of the eight officers who were on duty at the time, pending further investigation.
A Grim History
The 33-year-old Khalusha became a figure of national horror after the discovery of nine mutilated bodies at an abandoned quarry in Nairobi, not far from a police station. The victims, aged between 18 and 30, were all murdered in a similar manner, leading police to believe they were dealing with a methodical and psychopathic serial killer. Khalusha’s arrest followed the discovery of these bodies, which sparked widespread outrage and disbelief among the Kenyan public.
Many have questioned how Khalusha could have murdered 42 people over two years without raising suspicion from the authorities. The fact that the bodies were discovered just 100 meters from a police station only added to the outrage, with critics questioning the competency and integrity of the police force. The speed with which Khalusha was arrested after the discovery of the bodies further fueled speculation about potential police involvement in the murders.
Legal and Public Reactions
Khalusha’s lawyer, John Maina Ndegwa, has vehemently denied the allegations against his client, claiming that Khalusha was tortured into making a false confession. “He says he was strangled to confess. You could tell he was in distress, terrified, and in anguish,” Ndegwa stated in an interview with the BBC in July.
The legal proceedings against Khalusha have been closely watched by the public, especially in the wake of the Shakahola forest massacre, where over 400 bodies were found in mass graves near Kenya’s coast earlier this year. The massacre was attributed to cult leader Paul Mackenzie, who allegedly encouraged his followers to starve themselves to death in order to “go see Jesus.” The horrors of Shakahola, combined with Khalusha’s case, have left the nation reeling and questioning the state of law enforcement and justice in Kenya.
Ongoing Investigations
The Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched an investigation to determine whether the police were in any way complicit in the killings attributed to Khalusha. There have been “widespread allegations of police involvement in unlawful arrests [and] abductions,” according to a statement from IPOA. The findings of this investigation are eagerly awaited by the public, as trust in the police force continues to erode.
In the meantime, the escape of Khalusha and the Eritrean nationals, who were detained for entering the country illegally, has intensified the sense of insecurity in Kenya. The public is left grappling with the knowledge that a man accused of such heinous crimes is once again at large, potentially posing a renewed threat to society. The incident underscores the urgent need for reforms within the Kenyan police force to restore public confidence and ensure that justice is served.
