More than a month after a dramatic highway escape in Samburu County, six remandees remain at large as authorities intensify their manhunt.
The suspects vanished after a well-coordinated ambush on the volatile Maralal-Baragoi road that targeted police officers transporting them to the Baragoi mobile court.
The attack involving heavily armed assailants believed to be working in close coordination with the fugitives left police officer Humphrey Oroba Angwenyi dead.
Despite their efforts to resist, the officers were outnumbered and outgunned. In the chaos, all eight detainees managed to escape, disappearing into the harsh terrain of Samburu North.
Authorities later revealed that the escapees were facing serious charges including murder, robbery with violence, illegal possession of firearms, and defilement.
Two of the fugitives have since been re-arrested, but the rest remain on the run, prompting an extensive security operation.
Since February 10, law enforcement officers have been combing through Samburu’s rugged landscapes in pursuit of the escapees.
Security teams believe that local criminal networks are offering them refuge making the search more complex.
Also, intelligence gathered from various sources suggests that the escape was not a spontaneous act but a meticulously planned operation involving individuals both inside and outside the detention system.
Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Abdi Hassan on Monday stated that authorities are in the final stages of re-arresting the remaining six escapees.
According to Dr Hassan, a multi-agency security team is working “around the clock” to bring the fugitives to justice.
“We are making significant progress in tracking down the fugitives and I can say their re-arrest is imminent. Six of the criminals are still at large and we will pursue them to the end.
The security operation is ongoing, and we are confident that those responsible for the attack and escape will be brought to justice,” Dr Hassan said in Samburu.
Further investigations into the escape revealed that the detainees had been in communication with their accomplices before the incident.
A mobile phone recovered from the scene is now a key piece of evidence, with forensic teams analysing call logs and messages to uncover potential leads.
Authorities believe the device could provide crucial insight into how the escape was planned, who was involved, and where the fugitives might be hiding.
The eight remandees who escaped during the incident were identified as Kennedy Lekisaat (charged with defilement), Ewoi Lonyogorot (charged with defilement), Namulem Losam (charged with possession of a firearm), Lorunyei Akware (charged with gang defilement).
Others are Lopasho Ekoriana (charged with gang defilement), Saul Lekisaat (charged with defilement), Lokwawi Adoro (charged with murder/robbery with violence), and Golong Arii (charged with assault/grievous harm).
The ongoing manhunt has extended to the remote areas of Charda, Mbukoi, and Marti in Samburu North, as well as the notorious Suguta Valley.
The locations known for their challenging terrain and sparse population provide ideal hiding spots for the fugitives while also making it difficult for security teams to track them.
The region’s dense thickets, arid conditions, and lack of proper road networks have also significantly slowed down operations, forcing authorities to deploy specialised units familiar with the area.
Additionally, poor network connectivity has hampered real-time communication among security teams further complicating the search efforts.
