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Four injured as Kamiti inmates,warders clash

By NN TEAM February 7th, 2014 1 min read

At least four inmates at the Kamiti Maximum Prison were seriously injured yesterday in running battles with warders.

The inmates engaged warders following a massive search which led to the recovery of over 5,000 SIM cards and 600 phones.

The search followed a spate of kidnappings in Nairobi and Molo in the last two weeks, which investigations established had been coordinated from the prison.

Angered, the inmates staged violent protests yesterday. Those who were to report to the prison industries refused to do so.

Several shots were fired. At one point, the officers were overwhelmed, forcing them to seek reinforcement from other prisons and the nearby Prisons College in Ruiru.

The search was conducted at the notorious Block D, which houses hardcore inmates where 2,144 SIM cards, 80 mobile phones, seven electric coils, several earphones and knives were recovered.

The deputy in charge of the Kamiti Maximum Prison Patrick Isaboke said they could not immediately establish the owners since all the inmates were removed from the cells before the searches were conducted.

“There has been an outcry that some criminal activities were coordinated from the prisons. This prompted the search,” he said.

On Saturday, a similar search was conducted and 406 phones, 1085 SIM cards, 160 phone batteries, 3500 rolls of bhang, and 19 electric coils recovered from the prison cells.

Isaboke accused the inmates of being behind many threatening messages being sent on phones. This he said had prompted the massive search.

NairobiNews learnt the search was ordered by Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku to rid the prisons of the contraband after investigations into a kidnapping case revealed that the plan was coordinated from Kamiti.