Defendant jumps out of courthouse window and vanishes in the mangroves

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Defendant jumps out of courthouse window and vanishes in the mangroves

11:33 CAT | 28 Apr 2023

A bizarre case is animating the population of Chinde town in Zambézia, Integrity Magazine reports.

On Tuesday, April 24th, a defendant accused of attempted murder after stabbing a friend of his over a debt, fled from the Judicial Court of the District of Chinde, situated on the premises of the District Administration.

According to eyewitnesses, Leonel Leonel was about to be tried when he jumped out of the window and fled, just minutes before the judge was to enter the courtroom.

Six agents of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) gave chase, but the fugitive, despite being shot at several times, did not surrender, and disappeared into the nearby mangroves, remaining so far at liberty.

Some local sources meanwhile hint at the connivance of the police authorities in the escape, noting that the defendant’s family reportedly includes influential members of the Chinde district government. According to these sources, the whole escape remains a mystery, with the police authorities so far unable to offer any explanation for what happened.

The defendant had prior to the incident been detained for seven days, after having allegedly stabbed in the back a friend of his, a student at Escola Secundária de Chinde.

Source: Integrity