By FRANCINA PHIRI –
TWO convicted criminals from Mansa Correctional Facility in Luapula Province have escaped from custody after removing two blocks off the wall of the lavatory in the prison cells.
Luapula Province Police Commissioner Hudson Namachila confirmed the incident.
Mr Namachila said the two criminals, who are now at large, jumped over a security razor wire of the facility  fence.
He said the incident happened on Tuesday around 04:00 hours.
He identified the criminals as Kelly Kabengele, 29, of Sumbu Village in Chief Kalasa’s area in Mansa and Junior Sepeti, 35, of  Mtondo Village in Chief Chungu’s chiefdom in Luwingu.
The police commissioner said that Kabengele was serving a 60- month sentence for burglary and theft while Sepeti was serving a four-year sentence for the similar offence.
“The two criminals escaped prison this morning and the police are already on the lookout trying to locate their whereabouts,” he said.
Mr Namachila said a manhunt had been launched to trace the two.
He said that any member of the public who knew their whereabouts should report to the nearest police station.
In another incident, a 32-year-old man has been electrocuted after he accidentally touched a live Zesco power cable that was protruding above the ground he was working on.
Mr Namachila said the deceased was welding and laying paving blocks at J.S.L Guesthouse near UB Market when he met his fate.
He identified the deceased as Martin Papaya of Tom Village in Chief Kalasa’s area in Mansa and the body of the deceased was in Mansa General Hospital awaiting burial.