The Zambian police force has arrested one of its officers for releasing 13 suspects from detention to celebrate the New Year holiday after taking a high volume of alcohol.
The detective Inspector, Titus Phiri was arrested after releasing the suspects from Leonard Cheelo police station in the capital, Lusaka, before fleeing the facility.
It was learnt that the 13 detainees who were accused of crimes including assault, robbery, and burglary were currently on the run and a manhunt has been launched to find them.
According to the Police spokesperson, Rae Hamoonga on Friday, “Phiri, in a state of intoxication, forcibly seized cell keys” from constable Serah Banda on New Year’s Eve.
” Subsequently, Detective Inspector Phiri unlocked both the male and female cells and instructed the suspects to leave, stating they were free to cross over into the new year. Out of the 15 suspects in custody, 13 escaped. Following the incident, the officer fled the scene,” he said.
Meanwhile, Phiri has not yet commented on the allegations.
Reacting to the incident, former presidential spokesperson, Dickson Jere said “I keep laughing each time I picture the scenario – comical! But then, I remembered a similar incident in 1997.”
“On New Year’s Eve in 1997, the late, controversial High Court Judge Kabazo Chanda ordered the release of 53 suspects, some of whom were deemed dangerous by the police. Mr Chanda was annoyed that the suspects had been arrested as long ago as 1992, but had not yet appeared in court”
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” he added.
