A Zambian Police officer, Detective Inspector Titus Phiri, has been arrested for releasing 13 detainees from custody on New Year’s Eve so they could celebrate the holiday.

The incident occurred at Leonard Cheelo police station in Lusaka,  Zambia where the officer was reportedly intoxicated.

According to police spokesperson, Rae Hamoonga, Phiri forcibly seized cell keys from constable Serah Banda before unlocking both male and female cells.

He instructed the suspects, who faced charges of assault, robbery, and burglary, to leave and “cross over into the new year.”

Saturday Telegraph gathered that out of 15 suspects in custody, 13 escaped.

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Following the act, Phiri fled the scene and is now under arrest as a manhunt has been launched to locate the escaped detainees.

Reacting to the incident, lawyer and former presidential spokesperson, Dickson Jere shared a humorous yet critical perspective on Facebook, comparing it to a similar event in 1997.

On New Year’s Eve of that year, the late High Court Judge Kabazo Chanda ordered the release of 53 suspects, some deemed dangerous, citing prolonged detention without trial since 1992.

The judge famously declared, “Justice delayed is justice denied.”

The current incident has sparked both outrage and amusement online, with many questioning the officer’s actions and the escapees’ whereabouts.

While Phiri has not commented on the allegations, the case has highlighted the challenges of law enforcement and judicial delays in Zambia.

Authorities continue their efforts to recapture the fugitives as investigations into the officer’s conduct unfold.