By Abidemi Samuel
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A shocking incident has unfolded in Zambia, where a police officer, Detective Inspector Titus Phiri, is facing arrest and disciplinary action for releasing 13 detainees from custody on New Year’s Eve. Phiri, who was reportedly intoxicated at the time, seized the cell keys from Constable Serah Banda at Leonard Cheelo Police Station in Lusaka and unlocked the male and female cells, instructing the suspects to leave and “cross over into the new year.”
The detainees, who were being held for serious charges including assault, robbery, and burglary, are now on the run, and a manhunt has been launched to apprehend them. Out of the 15 detainees in custody at the time, 13 escaped, while Phiri himself fled the scene after releasing them.
The incident has sparked widespread reactions, with some drawing parallels to a similar occurrence in 1997. Former presidential spokesperson and lawyer Dickson Jere commented on Facebook, calling the situation “comical” but recalling the time when the late Judge Kabazo Chanda ordered the release of 53 detainees, citing the injustice of their prolonged detention without trial.
Authorities have assured the public that they are taking the matter seriously, with investigations underway to locate the escaped suspects and hold Detective Phiri accountable. The police spokesperson, Rae Hamoonga, has confirmed that Phiri’s actions were unacceptable and that the police will do everything in their power to ensure that justice is served.
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