61 suspects stage jail break-out

THE Wanaheda Police Station was the scene of a mass prison break-out on Friday, when 61 trail-awaiting detainees escaped from the station’s holding cells.

Eight of the escapees had been rearrested by yesterday afternoon, according to a Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer James Matengu. With the eight back in the cells, the population of the Wanaheda Police Station stood at 256 people yesterday, Matengu said.He related that the mass escape took place at about 23h10 on Friday, when a Policeman took two new suspects to the cells to be locked up.After he had unlocked an access door to the cells, he was overpowered and 61 detainees managed to make a dash for freedom.The escapees had been gathering in a corridor next to the cells, which was unlocked because the locks of several cell doors at the Police station had been broken for months, Matengu said.He said the escapees included juveniles and trial-awaiting prisoners from other Police stations who had been brought to the Wanaheda station because they had to attend court cases in Windhoek.A list of the offences that the escapees are accused of was not available yesterday.With the eight back in the cells, the population of the Wanaheda Police Station stood at 256 people yesterday, Matengu said.He related that the mass escape took place at about 23h10 on Friday, when a Policeman took two new suspects to the cells to be locked up.After he had unlocked an access door to the cells, he was overpowered and 61 detainees managed to make a dash for freedom.The escapees had been gathering in a corridor next to the cells, which was unlocked because the locks of several cell doors at the Police station had been broken for months, Matengu said.He said the escapees included juveniles and trial-awaiting prisoners from other Police stations who had been brought to the Wanaheda station because they had to attend court cases in Windhoek.A list of the offences that the escapees are accused of was not available yesterday.