A New Year’s Eve incident in Zambia has left authorities scrambling after a drunken police officer released 13 suspects from custody in the capital, Lusaka.
Detective Inspector Titus Phiri was arrested after unlocking the cells at Leonard Cheelo Police Station and ordering the detainees to leave, allegedly telling them they were “free to cross over into the new year.”
According to police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga, the officer, “in a state of intoxication, forcibly seized cell keys” from Constable Serah Banda before unlocking both male and female detention cells.
Out of 15 suspects held at the station, 13 took the opportunity to escape. The detainees had been accused of serious crimes, including assault, robbery, and burglary.
Following the chaotic scene, Mr. Phiri fled the station. Authorities have since launched a manhunt to recapture both the escapees and the officer. Mr. Phiri has not commented on the incident or the charges against him.
The event has drawn both outrage and humor from the public. Former presidential spokesperson and lawyer Dickson Jere took to Facebook to share his reaction, calling the scenario “comical” before recalling a similar incident in 1997. That year, controversial High Court Judge Kabazo Chanda ordered the release of 53 detainees—some considered dangerous—because they had been held since 1992 without trial. Judge Chanda defended his actions by declaring, “Justice delayed, is justice denied.”
While Mr. Phiri’s motives remain unclear, the incident has raised serious questions about law enforcement conduct and the management of detention facilities in Zambia. The escaped suspects, meanwhile, are still at large, leaving authorities racing to restore order in the wake of this unusual New Year’s Eve drama.
