’12 jailbreakers still at large

POLICE throughout the country have reported an alarming number of jailbreaks between the end of 2005 and the start of the new year.

Between December 29 and January 1, a period of only four days, 14 trial-awaiting prisoners were reported to have escaped from Police custody. In the latest reported incident, six prisoners managed to escape from the Okahao police cells in the Omusati Region last Friday, with Police managing to re-arrest only three.Another prisoner escaped from the police cells at Tses on Sunday, and was rearrested during the early hours of Monday morning.Six of the 14 prisoners who escaped from Police cells in Karasburg, Swakopmund, Keetmanshoop, Okahao and Tses have been rearrested, while the four who broke out at Karasburg on December 29 voluntarily returned to their cells after going on a robbing spree in the town.They brought back to fellow inmates beer to the value of N$800, as well as food worth N$4 950.The four men still at large now join eight other prison escapees who escaped from the Wanaheda Police cells in Windhoek in November, and who have managed to evade arrest ever since.Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Police spokesperson Chief Inspector Hieronymus Goraseb said the Police were investigating internal charges of negligence against the officers on duty when these jailbreaks took place.If any evidence was found that they had assisted the escapees, the officers involved would face criminal charges, he said.In the latest reported incident, six prisoners managed to escape from the Okahao police cells in the Omusati Region last Friday, with Police managing to re-arrest only three.Another prisoner escaped from the police cells at Tses on Sunday, and was rearrested during the early hours of Monday morning.Six of the 14 prisoners who escaped from Police cells in Karasburg, Swakopmund, Keetmanshoop, Okahao and Tses have been rearrested, while the four who broke out at Karasburg on December 29 voluntarily returned to their cells after going on a robbing spree in the town.They brought back to fellow inmates beer to the value of N$800, as well as food worth N$4 950.The four men still at large now join eight other prison escapees who escaped from the Wanaheda Police cells in Windhoek in November, and who have managed to evade arrest ever since.Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Police spokesperson Chief Inspector Hieronymus Goraseb said the Police were investigating internal charges of negligence against the officers on duty when these jailbreaks took place.If any evidence was found that they had assisted the escapees, the officers involved would face criminal charges, he said.