The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has now placed a Sh1 million bounty on fugitive murder suspect Collins Jumaisi Khalusha.
In a notice dated September 30, detectives appeared to launch a fresh hunt for him, appealing to the public for information on his whereabouts.
Khalusha, who hails from Shiru sub-location in Hamisi Sub-county, Vihiga County, escaped from police custody on August 20, 2024, just hours before he was to be arraigned in court.
He is among the 13 suspects who escaped from the Gigiri police station.
They are said to have cut a wire mesh that forms part of the security to the cells and scaled a perimeter wall.
He is accused of the brutal killing of several women whose bodies and dismembered remains were discovered at the Kware dumpsite in Nairobi.
Police describe him as a dangerous suspect and are urging Kenyans to provide any credible leads that could assist in his re-arrest.
“The National Police Service hereby pledges a cash reward of Sh1 million to anyone who provides credible information that will assist in the re-arrest of the suspect,” DCI said in a statement.
Members of the public with information can report anonymously through the #FichuaKwaDCI toll-free hotline 0800 722 203, the DCI WhatsApp number 0709 570 000, or via police hotlines 999, 911, and 112.
“Reports may also be made at any police station across the country,” it added.
His disappearance has frustrated investigators and left families of the victims anxiously awaiting justice.
Police have assured the public that every tip will be treated as valuable and handled with confidentiality.
“We urge anyone with information, no matter how small, to come forward. Justice for the victims depends on it,” the DCI said.
His disappearance has been source of concern to the public with a section of leaders demanding accountability from the officers involved.
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba was on August 14, suspended from Parliament for 20 sitting days after walking out of the chamber in protest during a ministerial response on the gruesome Kware dumpsite killings.
Speaker Moses Wetang’ula ruled that Wamuchomba’s conduct amounted to “contempt in the face of the court, not just contempt of court”, citing Standing Order 107(a), read together with (i)(a) and (iii).
The standoff began after Interior Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen responded to Wamuchomba’s questions on the recovery of female bodies from the Embakasi quarry dumpsite.
Wamuchomba had sought a report on the number of female bodies recovered and those who had been positively identified through forensic or DNA analysis.
She also wanted an explanation on whether investigations were still ongoing, given the main suspect had escaped police custody, and what steps the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had taken to progress the case.
In his reply, Murkomen said that following public reports of mysterious disappearances, the National Police Service had deployed the homicide unit to the site, where 17 packages containing dismembered human remains were retrieved.
Post-mortem examinations and forensic analysis, he said, led to the identification of five victims- Geofrey Okoko, Roseline Ongongo, Wilkister Ojiambo Okoko, Christine Mwende, and Rosemay Ojiambo.
Murkomen further revealed that a multi-agency operation is in place to trace and apprehend the suspect so that he can be charged before the court of law.
Wamuchomba, visibly agitated, accused the CS of failing the victims’ families.
“Mr. Speaker, I refuse to sit in this House and listen to the CS confirm that his Ministry is unable to capture suspects who were previously under their custody," she said.
