A Kenyan serial killer known as the “vampire” suspected of murdering 42 women has escaped from custody along with 12 other prisoners, authorities said Tuesday.
Mohamed Amin, head of the country’s Criminal Investigation Directorate, said Kenyan Collins Jumaisi Galusha and other suspects from Eritrea were allowed to escape from Nairobi’s Jigiri police station with the help of eight officers, including station commanders.
Officials say the inmates cut barbed wire in their cells and scaled the perimeter wall, and senior officials learned of the escape only when officers went to the cells to serve breakfast to the guards.
“Our initial investigations indicate that locals helped the escape, accordingly officials were sent to secure the station,” Amin said.
“This is a high-profile suspect who was going to face serious charges,” Amin said of Kalusha, 33 — described by police as “a vampire, a psychopath.”
“We are investigating the incident and will take action accordingly,” Amin said.
The outburst came after authorities ordered Galusha to remain in police custody for another week as detectives continue to investigate 42 murders linked to him.
Kalusha was arrested in July after authorities learned of the discovery of 10 mutilated bodies inside a quarry in Nairobi’s Kwere area.
Authorities say Kalusha has confessed to killing not only 10 women but 32 people over the course of two years, the first victim being his wife who went missing.
When he was initially taken into custody, Amin described the suspect as “a psychopathic serial killer with no respect for human life.”
Galusha’s lawyer, John Maina Ndekwa, earlier told reporters that his client was innocent and had confessed to the alleged torture by the police.
Ndegwa said he last spoke to his client on Friday when the court ordered his remand for another seven days as the lawyer was confused about the jailbreak.
“I was also confused by the news,” he told The Associated Press.
Eight officers accused of helping Kalusha and other prisoners escape are now facing disciplinary action, according to Police Inspector General Gilbert Massengeli.
With post wires
