A detective inspector in Lusaka is under arrest following a bizarre New Year’s Eve incident in which he allegedly freed 13 suspects from police custody while intoxicated.

Detective Inspector Titus Phiri, stationed at Leonard Cheelo Police Station, reportedly seized the keys to the detention cells while under the influence of alcohol.

He then unlocked both male and female detention cells, telling the suspects they were “free to cross over into the new year.”

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The suspects were being held on serious charges, including assault, robbery, and burglary. Of the 15 detainees in custody, 13 escaped during the incident.

Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga confirmed the events, stating that Inspector Phiri forcibly took the keys from Constable Serah Banda before fleeing the scene himself.

“Mr. Phiri, in a state of intoxication, disregarded his duties and allowed suspects to flee custody,” said Hamoonga.

The detective was arrested following the incident, and a manhunt is now underway to recapture the escaped suspects. Inspector Phiri has not yet issued a statement or responded to the allegations.

The incident has sparked comparisons to a controversial New Year’s Eve event in 1997. Former presidential spokesperson and lawyer Dickson Jere weighed in on the matter, describing the current case as both comical and troubling.

“I keep laughing each time I picture the scenario—comical! But then, I remembered a similar incident in 1997,” Jere wrote on Facebook.

Jere was referencing the late High Court Judge Kabazo Chanda, who ordered the release of 53 detainees on New Year’s Eve 1997, citing frustration over delays in bringing the suspects to trial. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” Judge Chanda famously declared.

While some have criticized Inspector Phiri’s conduct, others have pointed to broader systemic issues that allow such incidents to occur.

Authorities are continuing their efforts to locate the escaped suspects, as the case draws national attention for its unusual circumstances and broader implications for justice in Zambia.

An Israeli airstrike overnight on a tent sheltering displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area of southern Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 11 individuals, including Mahmud Salah, the former chief of Hamas’ now-dismantled police force, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency.

The attack, which occurred west of Khan Yunis city, also claimed the lives of three children and two women.

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“Eleven people were martyred, including three children and two women, and 15 were injured after the occupation aircraft bombed a tent housing displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Yunis city in the southern Gaza Strip,” the agency said in a statement.

The agency’s spokesperson, Mahmud Bassal, confirmed that Salah’s deputy, Hussam Shahwan, was also among those killed in the strike.

The Israeli military responded to AFP, stating that it was “looking into the incident.”

The attack comes amid renewed rocket fire from Gaza, which, although causing little damage in Israel, continues to put pressure on the Israeli government politically after more than a year of ongoing conflict.

On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Israel would intensify its strikes on Gaza if Hamas continued to fire rockets. He also reiterated Israel’s demand for the release of hostages still held in Gaza.

“These strikes will intensify if Hamas persists,” Katz stated, reinforcing Israel’s stance after nearly 15 months of hostilities.

The situation in Gaza remains critical, with civilian casualties rising as international calls for de-escalation continue to be ignored.

On Thursday, impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol defied authorities for a third consecutive day, refusing to leave his official residence and escalating a dramatic stand-off over his arrest.

His defiance follows the failure of a martial law declaration on December 3, which triggered his impeachment and exposed him to potential charges of insurrection, imprisonment, or even the death penalty.

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Since his impeachment, Yoon’s supporters and detractors have gathered outside his residence, turning the area into a political flashpoint.

Security forces loyal to Yoon have blocked attempts by police to execute arrest and search warrants, citing legal protections for locations containing state secrets.

Yoon remains defiant. In a statement relayed by his lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, the former leader declared, “The Republic of Korea is currently in danger due to internal and external forces threatening its sovereignty, and the activities of anti-state elements. I vow to fight alongside you to the very end to protect this nation.”

According to his lawyer, Yoon has remained within the presidential compound, where he monitors protests by his supporters through livestreams.

Opposition lawmakers have condemned Yoon’s actions as dangerous and inflammatory. “He is delusional and is fanning the flames of division in our society,” said Jo Seoung-lae, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party.

Yoon’s legal team has filed an injunction to block his arrest, describing the warrant as “an unlawful and invalid act.”

However, Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) Chief Oh Dong-woon has warned that anyone obstructing law enforcement could face prosecution.

The arrest warrant for Yoon, along with a search warrant for his residence, expires on January 6.

Legal experts note that South Korean authorities have struggled in similar cases in the past, including failed attempts to detain lawmakers in 2000 and 2004 due to supporter resistance.

The December 3 martial law declaration, intended to target what Yoon described as “anti-state elements,” lasted only a few hours.

Armed troops stormed the National Assembly in a bid to enforce the order, but lawmakers swiftly convened to vote it down. The move led to Yoon’s impeachment and the suspension of his presidential duties.

Adding to the political turmoil, Yoon’s immediate successor, Han Duck-soo, was also impeached last week for failing to approve investigations into his predecessor’s administration.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has since assumed the role of acting president, pledging to stabilize the country.

South Korea’s constitutional court is set to rule on whether Yoon’s impeachment will stand, a decision that could significantly shape the nation’s political future.

Meanwhile, discussions between prosecutors and law enforcement on how to execute Yoon’s arrest continue.

The embattled leader has shown no signs of backing down. “I vow to fight alongside you to the very end,” he told his supporters.