Police in the Omusati Region have recovered three of the firearms stolen during the dramatic escape of trial-awaiting inmates from the Onandjamba police holding cells earlier this week.

The escape, which occurred on Sunday evening, triggered a massive manhunt across northern Namibia and towards the Angola border after six inmates allegedly overpowered police officers and fled with service weapons.

Omusati regional commander Commissioner Ismael Basson yesterday confirmed that four of the five escapees have since been rearrested, while three stolen firearms have also been recovered.

“Four suspects have been rearrested so far, and three firearms recovered,” Basson said.

He identified the latest rearrested suspects as Amukwaya Amukwaya Matheus and Kronelius Nestor Shitaleni, who were apprehended near the Namibia-Angola border in possession of two pistols. Emmanuel Eliaser, an Angolan national, was the first suspect to be arrested.

Basson said two suspects remain at large, namely Nikodemus Junias and Festus Paulus, who are believed to still be armed with two firearms.

The commissioner warned members of the public to remain vigilant, describing the outstanding suspects as dangerous.