This archive report was first published on 24 June 2020.
On June 24, 2020, a shocking incident occurred at Shimo la Tewa Prison in Kilifi, where a hardcore criminal managed to escape after making a mockery of the justice system.
The suspect, Peter Kamau Ngige, was serving time for a robbery with violence offence, but he cleverly impersonated another inmate with a similar name to secure his freedom.
According to sources, during a video conferencing process, Ngige posed as an inmate remanded for an illicit liquor offence, deceitfully gaining his freedom.
Ngige's escape is not an isolated incident, as he has a history of serial crimes, including hijacking a Nairobi-bound matatu and robbing commuters at gunpoint in 2018.
Naivasha Sub-County Police Commander Samuel Waweru confirmed the incident, stating that the suspect is a hard-core criminal and that officers are trailing him to effect his arrest.
Since 2000, at least 150 inmates have escaped from Kenyan prisons, with some convicts being rearrested while others continue to enjoy their freedom.
The deplorable conditions and overcrowding in Kenyan prisons are alleged to be the main reasons behind the escapes.
