NAIROBI Kenya June 22 -On November 20, 2019 at around 5am Wycliffe Kori Achola, a robbery with violence suspect, knocked the door of the cells and told the officers that he had a running stomach and wanted to be escorted to the toilet.
Constable Christopher Mwangombe, who was performing normal duties opened the door and was immediately attacked by the prisoner who wrestled him down before he was joined by another robbery with violence suspect, Dennis Atitwa Atenya.
They two strangled the officer and then jumped over the wall and escaped to unknown destination. It was not immediately established what the other officer, Constable Julia Nduta, was during the escape.
“While he was closing the door cell for him to go back inside, the said prisoner jointly with the second prisoner namely Denis Atitwa Atenya , pushed the door back . They both overpowered the officer and came outside the cells and strangled the officer who fell down”.
The two had been charged by detectives from Githurai Kimbo police station -Criminal Register number 266/289/2019, and Court File number 1109/2019 -but were remanded at Ruiru after their first appearance in court.
The then Ruiru OCPD Phineas Ringerah said an immediate search was conducted but by the two were never rearrested.
On the night of 21 and 22 February 2023 when there was a power outage, Atenyo scaled a perimeter wall and gained entry into the compound of Ellam Muchira at Buruburu Farm in Ruai where he stole 250 chicken valued at Sh200, 000.
Several crates containing eggs were also stolen from the farm during the incident and the theft was reported at the Mawe Mbili police station.
Muchira’s neighbor who saw suspicious people transporting chicken on a motorcycle followed them to a shop where they delivered them.
He then informed Muchira who later went to the shop owned by Jane Muthoni, and found 74 chicken which he positively identified as his.
Muthoni was charged in court with theft and an additional charge of handling suspected stolen property but Atenyo remained on the run.
Muthoni had implicated him and detectives had launched a manhunt for him. They however did not know that he was one of the robbery suspects who strangled an officer before making a dramatic escape from Ruiru police station.
On June 20, 2023, Atenyo was arrested and during investigations, police in Kayole established that he was wanted by their counterparts in Ruiru.
At Makadara Court, he denied the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Ann Mwangi.
Prosecution Counsel Christine Achieng told the court that Atenyo is facing charges of robbery with violence contrary to section 296 (2) of the penal code at the Ruiru Law Courts vide court file number 1109/2019.
Achieng told SPM Mwangi that Atenyo escaped with his accomplices on November 20, 2019 while in custody awaiting to be arraigned for hearing and has been on the run until he was arrested in connection to the recent case.
The prosecution counsel sought stringent bond terms saying that the suspect is a flight risk having escaped from the police custody.
One of Atenyo’s accomplices was convicted of the violent robbery charges and is serving a 20 years’ jail term while the other was found guilty of handling stolen property and has completed a three years’ jail term.
Atenyo was released on a Sh150,000 bond and the case will be mentioned on August 31 when it will be consolidated with that of his co-accused person, Muthoni.
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