By D, KNA
Two suspects facing livestock theft charges have escaped from Magunga Police Station cells in Suba South, Homa Bay County, under unclear circumstances.
The duo had been arrested Thursday last week and booked at the station after being linked to the theft of three goats from Magunga area.
Suba South Sub- County Police Commander Caxton Ndunda said the suspects allegedly stole the goats and transported them to Homa Bay town, where they were later tracked and apprehended by police officers.
“We got intelligence that the suspects were in Homa Bay town. I ordered their track down and arrest, and our officers found them with the goats,” said Ndunda.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the two suspects feigned a call of nature and requested a police officer to escort them to a latrine outside the cell. Once near the facility, they allegedly sprinted away.
“The cell at Magunga Police Station doesn’t have a toilet inside. The officer who was escorting them to the latrine said they escaped in the process,” Ndunda explained.
He noted that after their arrest, the suspects were scheduled to be arraigned in court on Friday. However, the complainant—identified as a teacher—was supervising national examinations and was unable to attend court.
The suspects were later expected to appear before a mobile court session in Magunga on Tuesday, as directed by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
“We don’t have a court in Suba South, so the ODPP advised that the suspects be held until the mobile court session. Unfortunately, they escaped the same day,” Ndunda said.
The Sub- County Police Commander added that a probe has been launched into the incident, including the conduct of the officer who escorted the suspects.
“We are investigating the officer, and if found culpable, he will be arrested and charged,” Ndunda stated.
Human rights defender Evance Oloo has called for transparency in the investigation, questioning how the suspects managed to flee from police custody.