Even after confessing to having killed at least 12 children, Masten Wanjala still longed for freedom from the stinking police cells in Jogoo Police Station.
Wanjala, who was lynched by his village mates in Bungoma, was compelled to explain how he escaped from police custody before travelling to his rural home.
Wanjala told the mob that he disguised as a petty offender and bribed the officers with money before he was set free on Tuesday night.
Unknown to him that he had been declared an enemy of the people back in Bungoma, Wanjala sought the help of a lorry driver, who gave him a lift to Bungoma.
“He however did not know they did not want him there,” the police said.
Read: Self-Confessed Child Killer Masten Wanjala Lynched by Mob in Bungoma (Video)
Wanjala and other suspects who were in custody were mixed with others who had been arrested for violating Covid-19 containment rules.
Wanjala was set to appear in court on Wednesday to answer murder charges when police discovered that he had gone missing.
He was yet to take a formal plea after confessing to killing at least 12 children when he was arrested back in July.
He confessed to killing the children in a span of four years from Nairobi, Machakos and Bungoma counties.
The child serial killer told the police that he posed as a football coach to lure his victims. He would then take their lives and dump their remains in different places. So far five bodies have been recovered.
Read: Three Cops Arrested Over Suspected Child Serial Killer Wanjala’s Escape from Cells
Wanjala was arrested when he demanded money from one of the victim’s parents.
Following his escape from prison, three police officers were arrested. They are Jogoo Road police station deputy OCS Philip Mbithi and two others; Boniface Mutuma and Precious Mwende, who were on duty.
The trio is likely to face charges of aiding the escape of the suspect from lawful custody and negligence of duties.
On Friday, senior resident magistrate Jane Kamau ruled that it would be a violation of the officers’ rights if the court detained them.
“Therefore this investigation ought to take less than the 14 days requested. In the meantime each of the suspects shall be released on a Ksh100,000 cash bail and a contact person,” she ruled.
They shall report to the investigating officer every day at 9am for the next seven days to assist with investigations.
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