A Chinese national, Fan Guanze, who had been arrested over claims of tax evasion, escaped from local police custody under unclear circumstances on the night of June 4 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Fan had just arrived in the country aboard a China Southern Airline flight when he was intercepted by officials from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) following complaints that some passengers were evading taxes on goods brought into the country. His luggage reportedly contained cigarettes, food, and various electronic items.
After his arrest by anti-graft detectives, Fan was handed over to a multi-agency team for investigation and possible arraignment. However, during interrogation at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) general office at the airport, Fan managed to flee.
A police search was immediately launched, extending from the airport to his usual area of operation in Kilimani, but efforts to trace him proved futile. CCTV footage later revealed that he left the airport using a pink taxi.
The officers who had been handling him during the interrogation were interrogated as part of the ongoing investigation into how the suspect managed to escape. Authorities say efforts to rearrest him are still underway, with broader investigations ongoing into tax evasion operations at Kenyan airports.
