By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Twenty one (21) inmates have escaped from custody in Mambwe District in Eastern Province but 3 have been re-arrested.
They escaped when there were taken from Namuseche Correctional Centre to attend a Mobile Court in Mambwe.
Ministry of Home Affairs Public Relations Officer, Nephas, Chifuta said 21 inamtes escaped custody between 02:00 to 03:00hrs on December 26, 2018.
Mr Chifuta said that the 21 whilst acting together managed to remove the burglar bars from the window of the cell belonging to the Department of National Parks and Wild Life Police cell, using an arc saw blade and escaped.
He said that the Department of National Parks and Wild Life in conjunction with the Zambia Police Service have since managed to re-arrest three inmates whilst 19 of them are still on the run.
Mr Chifuta said the Police Service is appealing to relatives of the escapees and members of public to report to the Police anyone seen suspicious idling about.
“These are dangerous criminals who should be made to face the law and who so ever is harboring or providing any form of assistance to them is doing so at a disservice to the general public. Eleven (11) of them were arrested and charged for Wild Life related offences, four (4) for General Theft, two (2) for Defilement, one (1) for Motor Vehicle theft, one (1) for Burglary and Theft and one (1) for use of insulting language,” he said.
