Twenty three year old escapee shorted dead in Mansa

A 23 year old convict from the Mansa Correctional Service has been shot dead after he escaped from lawful custody at the Mansa subordinate Court.

Rodgers Mwelwa of Sumbu Village in Chief Kalasa Lukangaba’s Chiefdom, who was convicted for trafficking in Psychotropic substances, escaped lawful custody on Thursday.

ZANIS in Mansa reports that Luapula Province Police Commissioner Elias Chushi has confirmed the incident in an interview.

Mr. Chushi says the incident happened around 12:00 hours in the full view of Court Officials after the Court committed the deceased to the High Court for sentencing.

He says this is as the late convict was being moved from the courtroom after he was found to be a second offender.

Mr. Chushi narrates that the police fired warning shots in the air to stop the escapee but in the process got hit by a stray bullet.

He says the late Mwelwa was then rushed to Mansa General Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival and that his body in the hospital’s mortuary awaiting post-mortem.