Christine Njoki Gitau, an 18-year-old woman, was arrested at Ruai Police Station after officers discovered pliers and a pair of shears hidden beneath a plate of rice and meat that she had brought for three remanded suspects.
The discovery has raised serious questions about an alleged attempt to get tools into the police station and potentially help suspects in custody escape. Officers reportedly became suspicious of the food and carried out a check before finding the hidden items.
Gitau had requested permission to visit Emmanuel Bosire, Ismael Arisa and Brian Gatheru, who are being held at the station in connection with robbery with violence and gang rape offences.
The three were arrested on September 9 following investigations into a series of reported attacks targeting young women in Nairobi.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the suspects were linked to an anonymous TikTok account that was allegedly used to approach young women and arrange meetings with them.Investigators say the women were contacted through the account before being persuaded to meet the suspects in person.
Some of the meetings allegedly took place in secluded or abandoned areas, where the women were then attacked.
The DCI said preliminary investigations showed that the suspects allegedly robbed and sexually assaulted some of the women they met.
In some cases, the victims were allegedly forced to transfer money to accounts controlled by the suspects. Others were reportedly robbed of mobile phones and other valuables.
The latest incident at Ruai Police Station has now shifted attention to what happened after the suspects were placed in custody.
The discovery of the pliers and shears inside the food has prompted the DCI to issue a strong warning to people who may attempt to interfere with lawful custody.
The agency said visits to police cells and prisons must not be used as an opportunity to provide items that could assist detained suspects in escaping. Officers have also warned that anyone who knowingly helps a person escape from lawful custody can face criminal charges.
The DCI described the incident as an attempted scheme that was stopped before the tools could reach the suspects. The agency said officers acted after detecting the concealed items in the food brought to the station.
The arrest of Gitau also forms part of a wider investigation into the three suspects and the alleged attacks connected to the TikTok account. Investigators are expected to establish whether other people may have been involved in supporting the suspects while they were in custody.
The agency has maintained that aiding or attempting to aid an escape from lawful custody is a serious criminal offence. It warned that members of the public who facilitate such attempts would be dealt with according to the law.
The incident is likely to lead to closer scrutiny of items brought into police stations and other detention facilities by visitors. .
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