Police recapture two jailbreak escapees in Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam. Police in Dar es Salaam have rearrested two of the 16 suspects who dramatically escaped from detention at Mbagala’s Maturubai Police Station in Temeke on Saturday.

Earlier reports suggested that over 20 suspects, detained at station, had escaped after they overpowered a policeman, broke down the gate and fled.

But, acting Special Zone Police Commander Daniel Shila said yesterday that there were a total of 81 detainees at Maturubai Police Station when the event occurred, noting that it was later established that only 16 were missing.

He said the 16 were those with minor offences including being found in possession of marijuana who were arrested during routine police patrols.

“We have so far arrested two of them and the manhunt continues,” he said.

Eyewitnesses said yesterday that they were conducting income-generating activities close to the police station when they saw suspects running away from building.

“As they were running away, police fired warning shots in the air, but to no avail. The sound of gunfire also sent us fleeing for our lives,” said Mr Said Abdallah, a trader. People familiar with Maturubai Police Station said the facility is often congested, adding that while the available cells are capable of accommodating a maximum of ten people each, they are usually packed with over 20 suspects.

While the law requires that a suspect should be detained at a police station for not more than 24 hours, sources said it was not uncommon for suspects to be detained at Maturubai for more than that period.