More than a dozen prisoners escaped after a Zambian cop reportedly got drunk and freed them so they could celebrate New Year's Eve, according to officials.
Detective Inspector Titus Phiri, a team leader working for the Leonard Cheelo Police Post, was arrested after allegedly releasing 13 prisoners "in a state of intoxication," police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said in a statement obtained by Face2Face Africa.
The Zambia Police Service said that Phiri unlocked both male and female cells around 10 a.m. Dec. 31, "stating they were free to cross over into the new year," a statement said according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
After the prisoners escaped, Phiri also reportedly left the facility. Sources told local media that he turned himself in the following day, saying that did not remember doing so until he saw reports on social media the next day, as reported by the Zambian Observer.
The escaped prisoners were being held on various charges, including assault and theft. The Zambia Police Service said it is working on finding and bringing the missing prisoners back into custody.
