It took only the opening of a metal grille. At about 11pm on Wednesday, as officers at Limuru Police Station unlocked the male cells to move ten detainees into an inner room, five suspects facing robbery with violence charges turned on them, overpowered them and ran out into the night.

A manhunt is now under way across Kiambu County and beyond for the five escapees, whom police named as Moses Waswa, Simon Eshiwani, Daniel Ndichu Njoroge, Dedan Kariuki and Edward Muriithi Kariuki.

How the escape unfolded

According to the police report, the night-shift report officer and the cell sentry raised the alarm once they realised they were being overpowered. Police Constable Amos Ngene, who was on crime standby duty, rushed to help, but the fleeing suspects attacked him too.

"When they opened the cells metal grill door they were attacked by the suspects who overpowered them and ran out of the cells," the Occurrence Book entry reads, as quoted by KBC.

The five had been remanded by the Limuru Chief Magistrate's Court on a miscellaneous application, which allows police to hold suspects while investigations continue.

The hunt

A team led by Limuru Sub-County Police Commander Mary Njoki and the area Directorate of Criminal Investigations officer has launched a search to track down and rearrest the men. Kenyans.co.ke reported that the DCI also sent a team from its Nairobi headquarters to help trace them. Police say more details will be released as the investigation continues. It was not immediately clear how the suspects got out of the station compound, or how badly the officers they attacked were hurt, and police had not said by Thursday morning whether any of the five had been traced.

Not the first this month

The escape adds to worries about security in police cells. On October 24, four suspects held over murder, robbery with violence and theft escaped from Itabua Police Station in Embu County after reportedly digging through a cell wall. Officers discovered they were missing only during a routine inspection the next morning.

Residents with information on the whereabouts of the Limuru escapees can report to the nearest police station or through the DCI's toll-free line, 0800 722 203.

Photos: Radio47 (Kenya Police station signage); Kenyans.co.ke (DCI headquarters, Nairobi). Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.