Police have gunned down a most wanted suspect who had orchestrated several jailbreaks in the country.
The suspect was shot dead on Monday, January 3, after a distress call was raised by residents in Muragua, Murang'a county.
The serial jailbreaker was killed after residents raised an alarm when he raided a rental house in the estate while armed with a toy pistol and went on to kidnap a 12-year-old girl.
Confirming the incident, Murang'a South Sub-County Police Commander, Alexander Shikondi, noted that the law enforcement officers from the region responded to the distress call and caught up with the suspect who was holding the girl hostage at an abandoned house.
Police challenged him to surrender but he resisted threatening to hurt the hostage forcing the police to open fire, gunning him down.
He was struck by a 9mm calibre bullet from a distance of 10 meters, enabling police to rescue the girl.
"We challenged him to stop and release the girl but he drew the weapon from his waist and charged at the officers while aiming. Police officers fired at him to immobilise him and one bullet hit his lower mid-abdomen," the police commander stated.
The suspect died while receiving treatment at the Maragua Level Four Hospital and his body was moved to Murang'a county mortuary.
After the action, the police retrieved two machetes and household items believed to have been stolen from the raided houses.
The suspect had, on April 3, 2021, been charged at the Kigumo law courts with three counts of defilement and ordered to be remanded at the Maragua Police station.
At the station, he staged his first jailbreak where he walked out without breaking any padlock or grill, a move that shocked the area law enforcement officers.
He reportedly escaped at night with the two guards who were on duty failing to detect how the whole plan was executed.
"We have the files ready, complete with victim and witness statements. We have been laying ambush to nab him but he has been elusive. But today we were lucky," the area police commander stated.
He, however, called out the residents for failing to raise the alarm early enough allowing the suspect to carry out the heinous act for hours before police neutralised the situation.
"It is totally unacceptable for a whole neighbourhood to watch as a girl is abducted to be defiled. But we are happy for those who called us. Citizens should be more proactive in securing their neighbourhoods. One suspect cannot overpower a whole estate," he stated.
