Kenyan police have announced a reward of one million shillings (approximately $7,700 or £5,700) for any credible information that leads to the recapture of Collins Jumaisi Khalusha. Khalusha, who is considered the prime suspect in the murders of more than 40 women, managed to escape police custody over a year ago. His escape, along with 12 other inmates, reportedly occurred by cutting through a wire mesh roof and scaling a perimeter wall. This failure by the authorities has sparked public outrage, with many questioning how such a high-profile suspect could evade capture for so long.
Khalusha was apprehended as the main suspect in a series of brutal murders where the mutilated bodies of women, primarily aged between 18 and 30, were discovered in a disused quarry near Nairobi. Activists have voiced strong criticism, suggesting that some bodies may still remain in the quarry and highlighting the police’s perceived inaction. One activist, Khalid Hussein, speculated that the reward announcement was a direct response to a recent documentary that highlighted the police’s lack of progress. “They react and they say one million shillings reward. Absolutely useless,” Hussein commented.
A police spokesperson stated that while they had previously addressed the matter, they were “on track to resolving it.” The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed the reward on social media for information leading to Khalusha’s rearrest. This is not the first reward offered for Khalusha, as police had previously announced one without specifying an amount. Several officers were arrested last year in connection with Khalusha’s escape but were later released on bail.
Questions have also been raised about how the bodies remained undiscovered in a quarry located just about 100 meters from a police station. Khalusha had reportedly confessed to the crimes before his lawyer claimed he had been subjected to torture, causing him distress and anguish. At the time of Khalusha’s arrest, the DCI chief described him as a “psychopathic serial killer who has no respect for human life.” The Interior Minister recently called the escape “regrettable” and expressed hope for his swift recapture.