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Prisoners Take the Gap

Home Archived Prisoners Take the Gap

By Surihe Gaomas WINDHOEK In just a space of eight days, four more trial awaiting prisoners escaped from the Eenhana Police cells in the Ohangwena region after cutting through the roof of the training or exercise cell with an unknown object. The latest jailbreak in the north took place around 21h30 on Saturday when the four suspects sawed through the burglar bar roofing of the cell in which they do physical training. Yet, while two of the suspects Stefanus Hangula aged 38 and 24-year-old Erastus Tulinanye were soon rearrested by the police at around 14h00 the next day, the remaining two, Johannes Elago and 28-year-old Tuliweni Nakale are still at large and police investigations continue. The four escapees are wanted for housebreaking, theft, stock theft and indecent assault. Saturday’s escape comes hot on the heels of a similar jailbreak in the south when also four inmates made their getaway from the Karasburg Police cells by forcing the cell doors open with an iron bar. Police reports state that the four “broke into the Lordsville Bottle Store where they stole jagwurst, milk, yogurt, etc. valued at N$4 950.” They then returned to the police station, where they stole beer valued at N$800 from a truck that was parked at the station. It was only thereafter that the four escapees, aged 15, 23, 24 and 27 returned to their cells and shared their loot with fellow prisoners. Cases of escape, housebreaking and theft from a motor vehicle are now pending against them. Most of the stolen goods were recovered. Just two days after the incident, another suspect escaped from the Keetmanshoop Police cells. “The suspect jumped through a window of a toilet from the room where he was detained. He was however pursued and rearrested later that same day.” Similarly, 26-year-old Josef Skrywer also escaped from the Keetmanshoop State hospital where he was receiving treatment. The incident took place on January 01 at around 04h00. The suspect has not yet been rearrested. Cases of murder and suicides also took place, according to the latest weekly crime bulletin. Three suicides were reported in the towns of Usakos, Windhoek and Rehoboth between December 30 and January 01. Oldest of the three men who committed suicide was 73-year-old Abraham Heioseb who reportedly hanged himself in a shower at H 1650 Omugongo Street in Freedomland, Katutura. His body was discovered on December 31 last year at around 05h30. Similarly, the youngest of the three, 21-year-old Abner Kliad Tangeni Namhunya shot himself with a firearm at the InterAfrica Security offices in Bahnhoff Street on December 30 at around 13h45. “It is believed that the deceased shot himself upon discovery that he was cheated in a fake diamond sale,” reads the crime bulletin. Over the course of last week, two suicides were reported in the Erongo Region, while another took place in the Khomas region. On Saturday in Oshakati, a 31-year-old security guard at the JFJ Smile Shop, Game Shopping Centre, shot two attackers in self-defence, after they tried to stab him with a knife. On Wednesday last week in the Caprivi Region at Makanga village, an Angolan man, Domingo Pinto was severely injured in a fight with a Zambian male. The victim is reported to have later died at the Katima State Hospital, while the suspect is still at large. In a case of attempted murder, a 20-year-old man violently attacked a 22-year-old male in Berseba on December 31 between 17h00 and 18h00. “The victim was stabbed in the left upper leg and his stomach slashed open, forcing his intestines out,” reads the weekly crime bulletin. However, the victim was rushed to the Keetmanshoop State Hospital where his condition has stabilised. A complete festive season crime bulletin will be made available by the Namibian Police next week.