Authorities have launched an urgent investigation after Alex Kibisu, a convicted robber serving a 20-year prison sentence, escaped from the Kibera law courts under baffling circumstances on Wednesday, July 23.
Kibisu, who had been brought to court to face fresh charges of robbery with violence, reportedly vanished around midday from the court’s holding cells.
His escape while still in handcuffs has raised serious questions about security protocols and oversight at one of Nairobi’s busiest judicial centers.
According to officials, Kibisu managed to slip past multiple armed security checkpoints, scale a perimeter wall, and disappear all within the heavily guarded court complex.
Investigators believe he may have used a breach in the rear wall of the court holding cells, which, although typically secured and monitored, provided a direct path into the densely packed Kibera slums.
Locals claim the escape route led straight into the labyrinthine structures of the informal settlement, offering the fugitive multiple exits and routes to evade capture.
Kibisu is currently serving a 20-year sentence at a community prison following a robbery conviction.
Initially sentenced to life imprisonment for robbery with violence, his term was reduced to 20 years per count on appeal in April 2025, with the sentences running concurrently from December 11, 2023.
In the latest charges, he stands accused of shooting and injuring Duncan Sheamy during a violent robbery at Akiba Estate in Langata on November 30, 2023.
Police units have now set up a search operation across Kibera, deploying personnel to comb through the area in pursuit of the fugitive.
Law enforcement officials suspect Kibisu had prior knowledge of the escape route and may have received external assistance.
No official statement has been released by the Kenya Prison Service (KPS), and questions continue to mount over how such a high-risk inmate managed to bypass at least four layers of armed security within the court premises.
Prison officers who escorted Kibisu to court are currently being questioned, and investigators are examining potential lapses or internal collusion that may have facilitated the escape.
The incident has sparked widespread public concern, with calls for urgent reforms and enhanced accountability in the management of dangerous inmates during court appearances.
As of Thursday morning, Kibisu remains at large.
Norwegian Security Agent At U.S. Embassy In Oslo Charged With Spying For Russia And Iran
