Police in Nsanje have arrested a head teacher for Makoka Primary School for allegedly aiding 10 suspects to escape the lawful police custody.
On January 7, 2020 Superintendent John Timbenao confirmed the escape of 10 suspects form the police station.
According to Timbenao, the suspects were among 21 other suspects who were being kept at the police station.
“Brief facts of the case are that on this material date and time there were Twenty one (21) suspects in custody of which twelve were in cell number one and the other ten were in cell number two,” he said.
He further added that 20 suspects were on remand except for two of which one was a convict and another one was arrested on January 7, 2021 for alleged murder.
Timbenao further added that all the officers were on duty when the incident happened
“All Officers on duty starting from S/Insp. Rex Mulawu Duty Officer, D/Sgt. Nixon Mwankenja duty available, D/Sgt. Kakodwa Standby and Sgt. Debora Yasin who was an OB Keeper from 2200hrs to 0600hrs were on duty,” he said.
According to the statement, Sergeant Yasin who was the OB keeper heard a shout from one of the cells as one of the suspects said that his friends are escaping through the window.
Later the officer informed other officers on duty who came in to check in the cell only to discover that out of the twelve suspects only two are remaining.
“Immediately the senior duty Officer Supt. John Timbenao who was out for patrols was informed and together with his patrol team rushed to the Office where it was confirmed,” the report read.
The report added that “And crime scene was immediately visited where it was discovered that the suspects escaped from custody through the window after they cut the steel bars using a hacksaw.”
Nsanje Police spokesperson, Agnes Zalakoma said that the head teacher, Davie Seda, 51, is thought to have connived with his young brother, Seda Bonzo, 30, (who was in police cells for suspected defilement) to escape from custody.
“The head teacher hid a hacksaw blade in a loaf of bread when he came to deliver food to Bonzo. We believe this is the tool that Bonzo and three other suspects used to cut steel bars of the cell to escape,” Zalakoma says.
