President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday sacked Wycliffe Ogalo as the Commissioner General of the Kenya Prisons Service.
The sacking of Ogalo followed a meeting the President held with top officials at the Interior ministry led by Interior CS Fred Matiang’i over the escape of three terror convicts from Kamiti Maximum Prison. It was revealed the escape was abetted.
Uhuru then appointed and witnessed the swearing-in of Ogalo’s successor, Brigadier (Rtd) John Kibaso Warioba.
Ogalo and two other top officers at Kamiti prisons were arrested from the Magereza building.
Ogalo, alongside the Commandant of Kamiti Prisons Charles Mutembei and his deputy, were taken to DCI headquarters.
Ogalo was bundled onto a waiting police car after the meeting and was driven off. He was heard asking where he was being taken before being pushed into the car and the door banged shut.
Police on their Twitter handle denied arresting Ogalo, saying they facilitated the safe handover of office and they took him to his home.
Ogalo was later released from DCI headquarters unconditionally.
His lawyer Assa Nyakundi, who had earlier in the day termed the arrest “a bit drastic and unnecessary”, said Ogalo was asked to leave without any explanation.
“He has been released unconditionally. He is now free, but I don’t know about the others,” he said.
On Wednesday evening, Ogalo called a 7pm press conference at his Lang’ata house but later cancelled it.