ONGWEDIVA – Six of the 12 trial-awaiting prisoners who have been on the run since their nocturnal escape from lawful custody a week ago have since been rearrested.
The Oshana Police Regional Commander Commissioner Ndahangwapo Kashihakumwa confirmed the re-arrests.
The 12 escaped from the Oshakati Police Station cells last Tuesday evening after allegedly cutting the bars of the cell windows.
Besides Willem Victor Kapanga, 18, who surrendered himself last Tuesday evening and Fanuel Primus Simeon, also aged 18, who was arrested on Wednesday morning, four arrests were made over the weekend.
Kapanga was in custody for assault through threatening, malicious damage to property and crimen injuria.
Simeon was initially arrested for housebreaking with intent to steal and theft.
Ananias Nailenge, 24, who is charged with the murder of his 24- year-old girlfriend Mirjam Tuyakula Nandjato, was rearrested. Nailenge is accused of decapitating his girlfriend in February this year. He was arrested on Saturday at Okatope village near Ongwediva.
Spokesperson of the Oshana Regional Police Sergeant Thomas Aiyambo said Nailenge was arrested at Okatope village near Ongwediva.
“Nailenge was dropped off by a car at Okatope and then he went into some nearby bushes and climbed into a tree. The police tracked his footsteps, but he surrendered himself to the police after discovering that the area was cordoned off by police officers,” related Aiyambo.
Also, Benjamin Mbundje, popularly known as Shituku was also rearrested on Friday morning at Evululuko in Oshakati.
Shituku and his co-accused are charged with murdering 57-year-old Chinese national Gao Li. Li was the owner of Panda shop in Rundu.
It is alleged the armed robbers including Shituku beat the Chinese national and tied him up with Sellotape around both his legs and arms before robbing him.
Also arrested is Angolan national Titus Ndeba Fernandu, charged with housebreaking with intent to steal and crimen injuria, and 21-year-old Absalom Angala arrested for housebreaking with intent to steal.
The other six are still on the run – however, the regional commander is optimistic they will be brought to book.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Safety and Security Erastus Uutoni has called on police officers to be vigilant and proactive when conducting routine police inspections in and around police holding cells.
“I don’t want to hear that inmates have escaped,” said Uutoni.
“I also don’t want to hear that a prisoner was found with a cellphone. Colleagues, if there are problems let’s sit down and talk and identify the problems,” said Uutoni.
The deputy minister further cautioned the station commanders to ensure searches are not only done on individuals but of the whole premises including the walls.
By Nuusita Ashipala