A Zambian police officer, reportedly intoxicated, sparked a manhunt after releasing 13 detainees from the Leonard Cheelo Police Station in Lusaka on New Year’s Eve. The detainees, held for various offences including assault, robbery, and burglary, remain at large.
According to the BBC, Inspector Titus Phiri allegedly seized the cell keys from Constable Serah Banda and unlocked the cells, declaring the detainees free to “cross over into the new year.” Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga described the incident, noting that Phiri was under the influence of alcohol when he forcibly took the keys and instructed both male and female suspects to leave.
After the escape, Phiri fled the police station and has yet to respond to the allegations. Out of 15 detainees, 13 managed to escape.
This incident recalls a similar episode in 1997, when late High Court Judge Kabazo Chanda ordered the release of 53 detainees who had been held for years without trial. At the time, Judge Chanda decried the prolonged detention, emphasising, “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
Reacting to the latest case, lawyer and former presidential spokesperson Dickson Jere remarked on Facebook, “The scenario is comical, but it also brings to mind the 1997 incident.”
The police have launched an investigation to apprehend both the escapees and Inspector Phiri. This bizarre episode highlights ongoing challenges in Zambia’s justice system, drawing renewed attention to issues of prolonged detention and accountability within law enforcement.
