Suspension is imminent for eight Kenyan police officers after claims that they let serial killer Collins Jumaisi Khalusha escape. This has cast doubt on the reliability of Kenya’s police force and the efficacy of the country’s legal system.
Accusations and Evasions
Accused of confessing to the murders of 42 women, including his wife, beginning in 2022, Collins Jumaisi Khalusha was taken into custody in July. Nevertheless, the assertions made by Khalusha’s counsel that the confession was coerced into by means of torture are disputed. Reportedly with the help of insiders, Khalusha and twelve other detainees escaped from the police station where they were being housed on Tuesday.
The incident report states that the discovery of the escape occurred during breakfast at approximately 5:00 local time (03:00 GMT). Inmates escaped by climbing a perimeter wall and slicing through a wire mesh roof. Twelve people, all of whom were held for unlawful entry into Kenya, were found to be Eritrean nationals, and they escaped with Khalusha.
Examining and Responding
Eight of the cops who were on duty during the escape have been suspended until additional inquiry is complete. Since Khalusha is a suspect in a high-profile case, the investigators are trying to figure out how he escaped from detention so easily. Given the history of scandals involving human rights abuses and charges of wrongdoing, this occurrence has further heightened public scrutiny of the Kenyan police force.
The horrific finding of nine dismembered bodies at an abandoned quarry in Nairobi led to the arrest of Khalusha, a 33-year-old man. The public was appalled by the manner of death of the victims, who were killed while in the age bracket of 18 to 30. Because the victims were discovered close to a police station, many people were angry and wondered why the police hadn’t been able to stop the killings sooner.
A few days after the bodies were found, Khalusha was quickly arrested, which added gasoline to the fire about the police’s previous knowledge and handling of the case. An inquiry into possible police involvement in the murders and other alleged criminal actions has been launched by Kenya’s police watchdog, the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA), though the results have not been made public yet.
The Bigger Picture and Past Problems
The police in Kenya are under constant investigation into claims that they have violated human rights, and this latest case is only the latest in a long line of such allegations. There have been kidnappings and fatalities associated with the latest anti-government demonstrations, and the police are likewise under scrutiny.
The claim that Khalusha is a “psychopathic serial killer” who has no regard for human life was emphasized by remarks made by Mohamed Amin, the DCI, who emphasized the gravity of the case. Further complaints regarding police methods are raised by Khalusha’s lawyer, John Maina Ndegwa, who claims that his client was tortured severely to get a confession.
Relevance to Just-Concluded Events
There has been comparison between the discovery of the dismembered victims and the recent Shakahola forest massacre, in which more than 400 bodies were discovered in mass graves. Cult leader Paul Mackenzie is facing charges of pushing followers to starve themselves, and this unfortunate tragedy has further complicated the situation in Kenya.
Although Paul Mackenzie has entered a not guilty plea to manslaughter, the coincidence of two high-profile events highlights a disturbing trend of misbehavior and violence that persists in Kenya. Restoring public faith in the country’s justice and police forces would require a thorough examination of the current situation and necessary reforms.
