By CHATULA KAMPO and REBECCA MUSHOTA –

FIVE suspected criminals have escaped from Ndola Central Police Station cells.

The suspects are believed to have broken a lock and removed a burglar bar from a window to create an escape route on Monday between 02:00 hours and 05:00 hours.

Two police officers who were on duty when the suspects escaped have been charged with negligence.

Acting Copperbelt Police Commisioner Joyce Kasosa named the suspects as Brian Kalambo, 23, Alick Chisha, 29, Tito Kaoma, 22, and Gift Miti, 29, all of Ndola who were facing charges of breaking-ins.

The other suspect is John Musukwa, 23, also of Ndola who was facing a charge of incest.

Ms Kasosa, who said the two officers facing the charge of negligence would be dealt with ‘administratively’, appealed to members of the public to help the police apprehend the five suspects.

“I am appealing to the members of the public to help us apprehend the suspects because you are the same people who will be victims of the suspects,” she said.

Meanwhile, the bus driver who killed a man who was among some mourners outside Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital (ADH) in Ndola on Monday has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

Francis Banda, 35, of 6416 Masala Township in Ndola, while driving a minibus which was involved in a car chase on Monday, is alleged to have hit into Joseph Mulenga, 50, of 3403 Nkwazi Township in Ndola who was with other mourners waiting for a body to be released from the ADH mortuary.

Ms Kasosa said in an interview yesterday that Banda has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and would appear in court soon.

An angry mob attacked Banda and accused traffic police officers of causing the accident.

But Ms Kasosa said the officers at the Kansenshi Police Station checkpoint did not give chase to the driver.