An inmate from Ntcheu Prison escaped on Friday while carrying out manual work alongside fellow prisoners in the Newlines area of Ntcheu District.
According to information gathered, the inmates had been hired through prison authorities by a resident in the area to carry out soil-filling work at a private construction site. The arrangement was reportedly made in coordination with prison officials.
The inmate allegedly took advantage of the assignment and escaped through a nearby garden close to the work site. Prison officers reportedly fired warning shots in an attempt to stop him, but he managed to flee.
Witnesses say authorities only recovered the inmate’s shirt in the garden, while the escapee himself vanished from sight.
Officer-in-Charge for Ntcheu Prison, Joseph Winiko, has confirmed the incident but said the identity of the escaped inmate has not yet been released.
A search operation involving prison officials and police is currently underway.