RUNDU – The Namibian Police Force in Kavango East have managed to rearrest one of the inmates who escaped on 18 January 2025, while the hunt for the other two continues. 

The breakout, described by authorities as a “calculated manoeuvre,” saw three trial-awaiting inmates exploit security gaps to vanish into thin air. 

The escape reportedly unfolded while police officers were preoccupied with a group of detainees at the charge office. Sources at that time indicated that several inmates staged a protest over denied visitation rights, creating a diversion that allowed the trio to execute their plan. In a brazen display of coordination, the escapees managed to damage burglar bars and hammer through a cell wall to create an exit point. It remains unclear how the tools used were smuggled into the high-security zone. 

“We have repaired the facility and replaced the locks. So far, we have only managed to rearrest one of the inmates; we found him here in Rundu. They are from around the region at different villages; they are Namibians,” said deputy commissioner Bonifatius Kanyetu, head of crime investigations in the Kavango East region. 

Some police officers have pointed at systemic failures and overcrowding as the reason inmates find it easy to escape the Rundu charge office cells. 

Regional Commander Commissioner Andreas Haingura has previously expressed concern over the volatility of the cells. This escape follows a string of violent incidents, including a recent stabbing spree within the same cells where five inmates were wounded by a suspect using a makeshift weapon. 

In addition, the Namibian police has cautioned the public against harbouring the fugitives, reminding citizens that aiding escaped inmates is a serious criminal offence. 

The police have not yet released the official identities of the three men, but patrols have been intensified across the region. 

-jmuyamba@nepc.com.na