Kenya’s crime scene is among the most intricate in Africa due to the high-interest cases of prison escapes. In the recent past, Kenya has recorded a number of cases where inmates deceived institutional security to escape.
Among the most notable criminals who escaped from prison include Joseph Juma, Abdalla Akhulunga, and Mohamed Ali Abikar, all of whom were serving jail terms for terrorism-related offenses. Check out their unusual escapes:
Joseph Juma
In 2019, Juma was arrested and imprisoned for collaborating with al-Shabab to attack the Kenya-Somalia border. In early 2021, Juma was one of the several inmates who were reported to have escaped from Kenya’s Kamiti Maximum Prison.
According to related reports, apart from receiving support from compromised security, Juma and others created an opening in the prison walls using chisels. Despite being guided by some prison wardens, Juma managed to escape.
However, after suffering from thirst and hunger in the process, he was later re-arrested in November 2021 while hiding in a remote Kitui village.
Abdalla Akhulunga
Abdalla was arrested and subsequently jailed at Kamiti Maximum Prison for charges of engaging in an attack on Kenya’s parliament in 2012.
While serving his term, together with his accomplices, Abdalla used improvised chisels to dig out holes in the walls of the cells. While guided by compromised wardens, Abdalla managed to escape in November 2021.
For several days, Abdalla enjoyed his short freedom before he was arrested again.
Ali Abikar
After being found guilty of involvement in the 2015 Garissa University al-Shabab attack, Abikar was imprisoned for 41 years at Kamiti Prison. Abikar was charged with the deaths of over 140 students who perished in the tragic attack.
While in custody, despite the severity of his offense, Abikar and his accomplices dug out the prison cell walls and escaped without being noticed. After a thorough manhunt by the police, Abikar was recaptured days later while attempting to flee to Somalia.
After these three cases of prison escapes flooded the general public, Kenyans poured out their concerns, particularly questioning the accountability of Kenya’s prison security.
