Zambia hunts for inmates freed by 'drunken' policeman

Thirteen suspected criminals are on the loose in Zambia after a reportedly tipsy detective unlocked jail cells on New Year's Eve and told inmates they were free to go, police said Friday.

The detective "in a state of intoxication, forcibly seized cell keys" from a colleague and "unlocked both the male and female cells and instructed the suspects to leave, stating they were free to cross over into the New Year", a police statement said.

All but two of the 15 suspects in the jail at the time escaped when the cells were opened on the morning of December 31 at the police station in the capital, Lusaka.

"The suspects remain fugitives," police spokesman Rae Hamoonga told AFP on Friday.

"Many of the suspects face charges for serious crimes, including assault, theft, and burglary. Allowing them to remain at large may pose a significant risk to public safety," he said.

The detective fled the scene but was arrested soon afterwards.

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