A drunken Zambian police officer who freed 13 suspects from custody on New Year’s Eve so they could celebrate the holiday has been arrested, as per officials.
Detective Inspector Titus Phiri was arrested after he released the detainees from Leonard Cheelo Police Station in Zambia’s capital Lusaka, before fleeing the scene himself.
The escaped suspects face charges which include assault, robbery, and burglary, and remain on the run according to police, who have launched a manhunt to recapture them.
RELATED STORIES
Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said Phiri “in a state of intoxication, forcibly seized cell keys” from Constable Serah Banda before he unlocked the cells.
“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 and after the incident, the officer then fled the scene.”
Phiri, the Zambian police officer, is however yet to comment on the allegations.
The incident has drawn many reactions on social media, with former presidential spokesperson and lawyer Dickson Jere describing it as “comical.”
He however recalled a similar case in 1997.
On New Year’s Eve that year, the late High Court Judge Kabazo Chanda ordered the release of 53 suspects, some considered dangerous, who had been in detention without trial since 1992, according to the BBC.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Judge Chanda reportedly said at the time.
READ ALSO: Lebron James says playing for many years is possible for him but he certainly won’t
Judge Chanda’s actions were based on principles of Justice but Phiri’s drunken decision has sparked public outrage and raised concerns about professionalism within the Zambian police force.
