Kamiti Prison Escape: Three Terror Convicts Get Additional 15-Year Jail Terms

NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 28 – Three terror convicts who escaped from Kamiti Maximum Security Prison in 2021 have been sentenced to an additional 15 years in prison.

Principal Magistrate Gideon Kiage, sitting at the Kahawa Law Courts, sentenced Musharaf Abdala, Mohamed Ali Abikar and Joseph Juma Odhiambo to serve the additional terms after completing their existing sentences.

The three were convicted of committing a terrorist act contrary to Section 4(1) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

The prosecution established that the three escaped from lawful custody at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison on the night of November 14 and morning of November 15, 2021, in circumstances that the court found prejudiced national security.

The court found that the three acted with a common intention to evade recapture, noting that they remained together throughout their escape and subsequent movements.

Magistrate Kiage said the three travelled together from Kamiti to Kitui and later to Endao, using motorcycles, public service vehicles and informal routes.

“If their only intention was to flee and evade re-capture, it would have made more sense to split up and go in different directions. This would have reduced their chances of detection,” the court ruled.

Evidence presented by the prosecution showed that after escaping, the three travelled by motorcycle and public service vehicles to Kitui town before proceeding by vehicle to Endao.

They later trekked on foot through informal routes to avoid detection, particularly because they did not have identification documents.

Odhiambo was serving a 15-year prison sentence when he escaped. He had previously been convicted in Mandera of offences relating to travelling to a terrorist-designated country, failing to report his departure and leaving Kenya through a non-designated border point.

The court ordered him to serve the additional 15-year term after completing his existing sentence.

Abikar, who was serving a cumulative 41-year sentence following his conviction at the Milimani Law Courts over the 2015 Garissa University attack, will also serve the additional 15 years after completing his existing sentence. The attack claimed the lives of 148 people.

Abdala, who had previously been sentenced to 22 years in prison before being acquitted on appeal by the High Court, was ordered to serve the additional 15 years from the date of his acquittal.

The prosecution team comprised James Machirah, Kennedy Amwayi, Anthony Musyoka, Kelvin Kamau and Ben Owang.

The additional sentences follow the prosecution’s successful case against the three over their escape from lawful custody and the circumstances surrounding their movements after fleeing Kamiti Prison.