By Anna Shilongo
WINDHOEK
Police have re-arrested three of the 16 trial-awaiting prisoners who escaped from Outapi police cells on December 1.
The three have been identified as David Mukalele, 20, Simon Haufiku, 26, and Tobias Shatipamba, 31.
Mukalele was the first to be arrested followed by Haufiku and Shatipamba. Mukalele who is being held for housebreaking and theft was arrested at Onelao village, Anamulenge Constituency while Haufiku was arrested at Upale village, Okalongo Constituency.
Haufiku faces charges of illegal possession of firearms and rape, while Shatipamba, who was arrested at Omfituwanauyala, Ombalantu, is being held on four counts of escape from lawful custody and two counts of housebrea-
king and theft. The three were all re-arrested with the help of the public.
Thirteen other inmates are still on the run. The escapees still at large are Angula Titus, 21, Benjamin Eliasel, 31, Frans Kamuhamba, 27, Ondjomuwa Alweendo, 23, Petrus Pedro, 23, Jason Pavo, 21, Lukas Ndakondjele, 18, Mwala Ruben, 18, Paulus Shimbamba, 29, Sikunda Sapalo, 28, Benius Mathias, 47, Alule Malakia, 21, and Venasius Shehama, 20. Shimbamba and Sapalo are Angolan nationals.
They apparently used unidentified objects to cut the iron bars on the roof of the police cell to escape.
Their cases include stocktheft, robbery, housebreaking, theft, fraud, rape and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The escapees still at large have been urged to surrender themselves to the police immediately.
The police have also appealed to the public to assist in re-arresting the escapees.
Meanwhile, three Tanzanians were detained after they were allegedly found hiding in storerooms of a vessel bound for Rotterdam, Netherlands.
They allegedly boarded the vessel at Richards Bay in South Africa. The three are detained at Narraville police cells.
In the Ohangwena Region at Ondunguli village, a 46-year-old man was arrested for allegedly sodomising a 23-year-old male.
Two cases of stocktheft were reported within the space of a week in the Kunene Region. An 18-year-old man was arrested for allegedly stealing four head of cattle valued at N$12ǟ