KATIMA MULILO – Notorious Namibian fugitive Mutolwa Masule, commonly known as Nine, was reportedly shot and killed by the Zambian police on Wednesday night after he tried to escape from lawful custody.   

He has been on the run for over three months after he and 11 trial-awaiting inmates escaped from lawful custody at Katima Mulilo police holding cells in April. 

A report circulating online, stated Masule had been wreaking havoc in Zambia’s Western Province capital of Mongu in the past few months. Among others, he reportedly assaulted and robbed a fuel attendant of K1 600 (N$1 127) in cash, and a black winter jacket valued at about K500 (N$352).

However, his luck ran out on Tuesday when the Mongu police arrested him.

He was found with an AK-47 rifle with 10 rounds of ammunition, and the black winter coat he had stolen from the fuel attendant.

His arrest came after the police received a tip-off about an individual who was brandishing an AK-47 rifle at Drop Night Club in Mongu township on 29 July at around 22h00. 

Acting on this information, the police arrested him, and he reportedly led the police to the Mbuywana cemetery, where the rifle and ammunition were buried. 

After interrogation, Masule admitted responsibility for several other robberies in the province. 

He confessed robbing a Puma filling station and breaking into a Pep Store in Senanga, where he stole several mobile phones.

On 31 July, at approximately 23h00, while being transported from Senanga, Masule allegedly requested to relieve himself, and subsequently attempted to escape into the bush. 

Police allegedly fired warning shots into the air, but when he did not stop, they shot him dead.

Zambezi regional crime investigations coordinator, deputy commissioner Kenneth Simbwaye confirmed the report circulating online, but said they were still to get an official confirmation from the Zambian police.

“We are still waiting for an official confirmation from the police in Lusaka so that arrangements can be made for the family members to go and confirm whether it is him or not,” he said.

In 2016, Masule was sentenced to five years in jail by the Mukwe Periodical Court for escaping from custody, and maliciously damaging state property. He is alleged to have used an iron bar to break the lock of the cell he was temporarily detained in after he was involved in a fist-fight with another inmate earlier that day.

At the time of his escape, Masule was serving a two-year sentence at the Divundu Rehabilitation Centre for escaping from lawful custody in October 2015. 

In April 2016, Masule was jailed by a Katima Mulilo magistrate for escaping while awaiting trial on two counts of rape, three counts of housebreaking, and two counts of murder, among others.

He was arrested at the border town of Sesheke in Zambia in April after being on the run for six months, following his escape from the Katima Mulilo police station in October 2015. 

Masule was released from prison last year. However, he was re-arrested in March this year after he was involved in several house break-ins in Katima Mulilo. Within a month, he escaped, and had been on the run ever since.

-Aron Mushaukwa is an information officer for MICT in Zambezi region.