The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) announced that its Principal Prosecution Counsels had established enough evidence to bring the officers to court.
This decision was made public on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, marking a significant development in the high-profile case.
The escape, which occurred at one of Kenya's most secure prisons, shocked the nation and raised questions about the security measures in place.
The three suspects had been convicted of terrorism-related charges, including links to the deadly Garissa University attack in 2015, which claimed 148 lives.
Following their escape, the government placed a Ksh 60 million bounty on their heads, leading to their recapture a few days later.
Initially, seven prison officers were accused of negligence by then-Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) was tasked with further investigations, which have now implicated five additional officers.
These officers are accused of playing roles that enabled the escape.
One officer is alleged to have facilitated the transfer of the terror convicts between cells, while another is accused of convening a meeting to support a terrorist group.
These actions reportedly helped the suspects navigate the maximum-security facility with ease.
The three escapees are currently serving sentences of 42, 22, and 15 years for their crimes.
One of them was charged in 2019 for attempting to join a terrorist organization, while another is linked to the Al-Shabaab group.
The case against the 12 prison officers was presented at the Kahawa Court on Tuesday.
The ODPP stated that the evidence presented established a prima facie case, meaning the officers must now answer to the charges.
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